Justin Timberlake Was 'Stopped And Advised Not To Drive' By Cop Who Ended Up Arresting Him

A new report has revealed that Justin Timberlake's arrest may have been avoided if he had heeded a cop's warning after his night out partying.

The singer is said to have been cautioned by the same cop who arrested him. This warning reportedly came twice before the eventual DWI bust.

After his arrest, Justin Timberlake was released from police custody without bail and is now set to appear in court in July.

Timberlake was reportedly stopped twice by a young cop who was concerned about him before his eventual arrest on Tuesday morning in Sag Harbor on Long Island.

According to the New York Post, the singer was initially warned not to continue on his trip, but he brushed it aside.

"He was stopped and advised not to drive," a source told the news outlet about Timberlake. "The officer didn't recognize him; he's a young guy. And he still gave Justin a break, because he didn't pose an immediate danger."

The source further notes that the 23-year-old police officer, identified as Michael Arkinson, "thought that was the end of it, that this guy would get a ride home."

However, "several minutes later," as the cop was patrolling another part of Sag Harbor, Timberlake "was observed by the same officer driving" his 2025 BMW SUV.

The source noted, "What a dumba--. I am thinking he could afford a driver. How's that for entitlement?"

Timberlake is reportedly grappling with the decline of his "golden boy image" and is disappointed with his current career trajectory.

Sources revealed to Page Six that the 43-year-old singer is struggling with the underwhelming sales of his sixth album, "Everything I Thought It Was," which was released in March.

"The album didn't do too well, and I don't see Justin getting big acting roles right now," an insider shared. "I just think Justin has a bad reputation in Hollywood as a bit of a jerk and a pain in the a--. He's got a bit of an ego."

The source claimed that Timberlake's "golden boy image is definitely depleted," adding that "there have been rumors around Justin's behavior for a long time" and "maybe the bubble was about to burst and this was the pin that pricked the bubble."

"In today's world you have to be really dumb to drink and drive," the insider continued. "Justin is showing off a side that I don't think a lot of people knew about."

Timberlake subtly addressed his shocking police arrest during his concert in Chicago on Friday. The singer spoke to his adoring fans, saying it has been a hard week for him.

"It's been a tough week," Timberlake said, per Page Six. "I know I'm hard to love sometimes, but you keep loving me right back."

The "Mirrors" singer made the remarks about his DWI arrest while telling his fans how they have all been through "ups-and-downs and left-and-rights."

According to previous reports, during his arrest, Timberlake expressed concern that the incident could "ruin his tour." However, a source confirmed to People Magazine that the tour would proceed without a hitch as it's "business as usual" for the star.

Timberlake faces up to a year in jail if found guilty of the DWI charges leveled against him. However, he's unlikely to secure such a heavy penalty.

According to his attorney, Edwin Burke Jr, the 43-year-old singer has vowed to fight the allegations.

Speaking on behalf of the singer, Burke stated that he'll be "vigorously" fighting the charges as he's scheduled to appear virtually for a Sag Harbor court hearing in July.

"I look forward to vigorously defending Mr. Timberlake on these allegations," Burke told Deadline in a statement. "I will have a lot to say at the appropriate time but am currently awaiting full discovery from the District Attorney's office."

A Suffolk County criminal defense lawyer, Michael Brown, recently spoke to NYP about Timberlake's case. Brown predicts that the actor would only get a slap on the wrist and is in "good hands" because his attorney is "a very good attorney, very well known, established with the DAs in Suffolk County."

Since Timberlake's run-in with the law, his ex-girlfriend Britney Spears' fans have been vocally celebrating his arrest.

According to the Daily Mail, an account on X revealed fans were purchasing Spears' song "Criminal" in response to Timberlake's arrest, posting a clip from the music video.

Some other people criticized Timberlake's alleged hypocrisy by linking his DWI arrest to an old clip of him seemingly telling Spears to stop drinking while at the 2007 Brit Awards.

During his acceptance speech, Timberlake said, "Stop drinking! You know who you are. I'm speaking to you. You are going to get sloppy. OK! Magazine is going to say something bad about you."

However, Timberlake later denied that the message was intended for Spears in an interview with GQ. A representative for Timberlake told Fox News that he was referencing "people in the crowd, no one in particular."