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Justin Bieber on drunk driving charge

Shanghai Daily via agencies, January 24, 2014

• Pop star Justin Bieber was arrested on drag-racing, driving under the influence and resisting arrest charges yesterday after allegedly speeding down a residential Miami Beach street in a yellow Lamborghini on an expired license. He is being held at a Miami-Dade County jail pending a court appearance.

  Justin Bieber [Photo/Xinhua]

  
  
  

   

  Authorities say Bieber was arrested after police saw him and R&B singer Khalil racing two luxury vehicles down the street at 4:09am, with two other vehicles apparently being used to block off the area. Khalil also faces drag-racing and driving under the influence charges.

  Police Chief Ray Martinez told reporters the singer was initially uncooperative when an officer pulled him over. Martinez said the singer also had an invalid Georgia driver's license and admitted to smoking marijuana, taking prescription medication and drinking.

  Bieber was driving a Lamborghini and Khalil a Ferrari. Both cars were towed. Police say Bieber was clocked at around 100 kph in a 50 kph zone.

  According to the arrest report, Bieber "had slow deliberate movements" and a look of stupor on his face when the officer ordered him to exit his vehicle. The 19-year-old was placed under arrest after repeatedly refusing to put his hands on his vehicle so the officer could pat him down for weapons. A police report says he cursed several times at the officer and demanded to know why he was being arrested.

  Bieber failed a field sobriety test and was taken to the Miami Beach police station for a breathalyzer, police said. Results have not been released.

  Television footage showed a van thought to be carrying Bieber from a Miami Beach police station to a Miami-Dade County jail. The van, with blacked-out windows, was trailed by squad cars.

  The street where police say Bieber was racing in mid-Miami Beach is a four-lane residential street divided by a grass median dotted with palm trees. Along one side of the street are small apartment buildings, and on the other side are a high school, a youth center, a golf course and a city firehouse.

  It's a short drive from the area to trendy South Beach, where celebrities are known to let loose.

  Bieber's arrival in Florida earlier this week also is under investigation. Authorities in the Miami city of Opa-locka are investigating whether the singer was given a police escort when he landed at the city airport on Monday.

  An escort would have been unauthorized, a city official said.

   

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