Pop superstar Britney Spears, 44, was charged in California on April 30 with driving under the influence of alcohol and banned substances.
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office filed a misdemeanor count against her for operating a vehicle while under the combined influence of alcohol and at least one other banned substance.
The criminal complaint did not specify the type of alcohol or banned substances involved, nor the amounts allegedly consumed.
Spears was pulled over on March 4 after California Highway Patrol officers spotted her driving a black BMW at high speed and weaving on the freeway near her home. She performed field sobriety tests at the scene and underwent a blood test at a hospital before being booked into Ventura County Jail on suspicion of driving under the influence.
She was released the following day. Police completed their investigation and forwarded the case to prosecutors on March 23.
At the time, her representatives described the incident as “completely unacceptable” and said Britney would cooperate with authorities, hoping it would mark the beginning of long-overdue positive changes in her life.
More than a month after the arrest, Spears voluntarily entered a rehab facility for treatment, according to her team. The program is expected to last about five weeks.
She is scheduled to appear in court on May 4. It remains unclear if she will attend in person, as her attorneys may appear on her behalf since this is a misdemeanor case.
Prosecutors indicated the matter would be handled under standard procedures for first-time offenders with no prior DUI history, no accident or injuries caused, and a low blood-alcohol level. Spears is likely to be offered a “wet reckless” plea deal, which typically includes 12 months of probation (with credit for any time served), mandatory alcohol and drug education classes, and standard fines.
Such resolutions are common, especially when defendants show initiative by seeking treatment voluntarily.
Spears has received support from her two sons during this time.
Once a teen pop phenomenon and Mickey Mouse Club alum, Britney Spears rose to global superstardom in the late 1990s and 2000s with massive hits like “…Baby One More Time,” “Toxic,” “Gimme More,” and “I’m a Slave 4 U.” Many of her albums achieved platinum status, including two diamond-certified releases: …Baby One More Time (1999) and Oops!… I Did It Again (2000).
Following her divorce from dancer Kevin Federline and struggles with postpartum depression after having her sons, she faced significant personal challenges. In 2008, a court placed her under a conservatorship, primarily managed by her father and lawyers, which controlled her personal and financial decisions for more than a decade. The arrangement ended in 2021.
Since then, she married actor Sam Asghari before their divorce and released her bestselling memoir The Woman in Me. In recent years, she has stepped back from music, releasing only occasional collaborations. Her last studio album came out in 2016.