Newly released dashcam footage captures the humiliating moment Britney Spears, 44, was forced to undergo a sobriety test before being handcuffed during her March 4 DUI arrest. The pop icon was pursued by police after allegedly driving erratically at high speeds on US-101 near Newbury Park, California, around 9 p.m. PT.
Arrest Details
According to the California Highway Patrol, Spears was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of a combination of alcohol and drugs. A police report later revealed she told officers she had taken Adderall and Prozac before driving. The footage shows Spears, wearing a worn green dress, sandals, and a large fedora hat, being questioned at the side of the highway. An officer shines a light into her eyes as she turns her head repeatedly.
Sobriety Test Failure
Per the police report, Spears said she was not feeling well and did not want to complete field sobriety tests. The report states: 'Spears related the lights were hurting her head and did not want to continue the test. Spears was unable or unwilling to follow my finger throughout the test. Spears continued to move her head throughout the test after being instructed to keep her head still. Spears related that she was blind in her left eye, but was able to see my finger.'
She is then seen being handcuffed and asks if officers took her phone, with police reassuring her it is still in her purse. Additional footage shows Spears driving erratically for over three minutes, flashing her lights but failing to stop promptly as police pursued her.
Police Report Revelations
The police report obtained by The Daily Mail sheds light on the chaotic night. Officers detected a distinct odor of an alcoholic beverage from inside Spears' BMW. She admitted to having one champagne mimosa seven hours prior and eating ice cream at 3 p.m. She also confirmed taking multiple prescription drugs that day: 200 mg of Lamictal, 40 mg of Prozac, and 2.5 mg of Adderall.
Spears allegedly told an officer: 'I could probably drink four bottles of wine and take care of you, I'm an angel.' A physical check found her eyes red and watery with dilated pupils, and she rated herself a zero on a sobriety scale of zero to 10. She later passed two chemical breath tests.
The report notes an officer found a brown purse containing a bottle of Adderall not prescribed to Spears, and an empty wine glass in the cup holder. Spears initially refused to exit her vehicle, saying she had been pranked and harassed in the past, but eventually stepped out after 10 minutes.
Mood Swings and British Accent
Spears allegedly had drastic mood swings during her arrest and spoke in a British accent. Her mood changed from confrontational and agitated to flamboyant. She was taken to CHP Moorpark Office for a Drug Recognition Evaluation, then to Los Robles Medical Center for a blood draw. The DRE determined she was under the influence of a central nervous system stimulant.
An officer claimed: 'In an attempt to delay the blood draw, Spears related she needed to use the restroom. While in the restroom, Spears became argumentative and belligerent. I placed Spears in handcuffs and placed her in the right front seat of the police vehicle.'
Legal Consequences
Spears pleaded guilty to DUI earlier this month and was sentenced to 12 months probation. Following her arrest, she checked into a substance abuse rehab facility for three weeks. A representative for the singer told the Daily Mail: 'This was an unfortunate incident that is completely inexcusable. Britney is going to take the right steps and comply with the law, and hopefully this can be the first step in the long-overdue changes that need to occur in her life.'
History of Struggles
Spears has had very public personal struggles for nearly two decades. In 2007, she suffered a harrowing breakdown, shaving her head and attacking a paparazzo's car with a green umbrella. She checked into rehab and faced criticism after a disastrous performance at the MTV Video Music Awards. In January 2008, she was placed under lockdown after refusing to hand over her son to her ex-husband Kevin Federline. More recently, Spears has been open about issues with her family, claiming she is 'scared' of them and 'lucky to be alive' in a social media post. Her 13-year conservatorship, initially co-managed by her father Jamie, ended in November 2021.
