Britney Spears arrested on suspicion of DUI in California
By Lisa Respers France, Alli Rosenbloom, CNN
(CNN) — Britney Spears was arrested Wednesday night on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to California Highway Patrol.
Booking information available online shows that the pop superstar was stopped by CHP officers around 9:30 p.m. and booked shortly after 3 a.m. Thursday. She was later released.
CHP public information officer Ryan Ayers confirmed to CNN via phone on Thursday morning that Spears was arrested on suspicion of DUI.
A press release by CHP later on Thursday stated that a black BMW was reported “for driving erratically at a high rate of speed” at approximately 8:48 p.m. local time on Wednesday. The car, which had been traveling southbound on US-101, was pulled over near the Westlake Boulevard exit in Ventura County.
Spears was the only occupant in the vehicle and “showed signs of impairment,” according to the press release. She submitted to field sobriety tests and was subsequently arrested, the release added.
CHP said the incident is still under investigation and chemical test results are pending.
Her vehicle was towed, according to the arrest information.
“This was an unfortunate incident that is completely inexcusable,” a representative for Spears told CNN in an email. “Britney is going to take the right steps and comply with the law and hopefully this can be the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney’s life. Hopefully, she can get the help and support she needs during this difficult time.”
“Her boys are going to be spending time with her,” the representative said. “Her loved ones are going to come up with an overdue needed plan to set her up for success for well being.”
It is not the first time Spears has had legal issues.
She was charged with misdemeanor hit-and-run in 2007 which was later dismissed after she paid for the damages.
The following year she was hospitalized for a psychiatric evaluation. Her father, Jamie Spears, was subsequently granted what was initially temporary conservatorship over her assets.
That conservatorship was later extended and lasted for 13 years, prompting fans to start a “Free Britney” movement aimed at ending it.
It was terminated in 2021 and since then Spears has mainly been seen through posts on her social media accounts, often in videos of her dancing posted to Instagram. Her account was unavailable Thursday.
Spears is scheduled to appear in court on May 4.
CNN’s Dan Heching contributed to this report.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
