Britney Spears charged with misdemeanor DUI in Ventura County

Pop star Britney Spears, 44, was charged Thursday with a single misdemeanor count of driving under the combined influence of alcohol and drugs, nearly two months after California Highway Patrol officers stopped her on U.S. 101 in Ventura County, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

The case marks a rare public legal entanglement for Spears since her conservatorship ended in 2021. Prosecutors offered a standard reduced plea deal available to first-time DUI offenders, citing no crash, no injuries and a low blood-alcohol level.

Officers observed Spears driving her black BMW fast and erratically on U.S. 101 near her home and pulled her over on March 4, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. She was released on bail the following day.

Field sobriety tests indicated Spears appeared impaired, and police presented their investigation to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office on March 23. Prosecutors subsequently filed the misdemeanor charge. The complaint does not specify the types or amounts of alcohol and drugs involved.

Citing no crash, no injury and a low blood-alcohol level, prosecutors offered a "wet reckless" plea deal — a standard arrangement for first-time DUI offenders that carries 12 months of probation in lieu of the full DUI charge, the outlet reported.

Spears voluntarily entered substance abuse treatment in April 2026, more than a month after the arrest. A representative called her conduct "completely inexcusable" and said the move would ideally be "the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney's life," according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

Because the charge is a misdemeanor rather than a felony, Spears will not be required to appear at her arraignment, scheduled for Monday. She has no prior DUI history.

Spears rose to global fame with her 1999 debut album "... Baby One More Time" and 2000 follow-up "Oops! ... I Did It Again," both certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America. She was placed under a conservatorship in 2008, which was dissolved in 2021. Her most recent full album was released in 2016.