Bruce Springsteen pleaded guilty Wednesday to drinking shots of tequila at Sandy Hook federal park last year, but had two other charges of drunkenness and reckless driving dropped because his blood alcohol content was well below the legal limit.
Prosecutors said they were unable to comply with legal charges for drunk driving, revealing that the 71-year-old man’s blood alcohol content was 0.02, well below the 0.08 limit.
Wearing a dark blazer with a button-down shirt under a turtleneck sweater, Springsteen sat next to his lawyer, Mitchell Ansell, during the virtual appearance before Judge Anthony Mautone.
He answered some brief questions from his lawyer and admitted that he drank alcohol on November 14, 2020 in a “closed area” of Sandy Hook Park, where drinking was recently banned.
“I took two small shots of tequila,” said Springsteen.
During the appeal, Deputy Attorney General Adam Baker said Springsteen did not take the preliminary breath test during the sobriety tests, but gave a sample at the ranger station. The initial test is not required by law, Baker said, and Mautone added that it is also not admissible in court.
“The government does not believe it can sustain its burden of proof. We respectfully moved the court to dismiss the two (remaining) charges. “
After pleading guilty, Mautone ordered Springsteen to pay a $ 540 fine.
“I’m not going to impose anything other than a ticket,” said Mautone, looking at Springsteen’s clean driving history dating back to 1973. “You would rarely see a driver’s summary so devoid of any entry. I am convinced that a fine is the appropriate sentence in this case. “
Mautone said Springsteen’s driving record shows three violations, including the use of a portable cell phone.
“Sir. Springsteen, do I need to ask how long do you need to pay this fine?” Asked Mautone.
Springsteen replied, “I think I can pay this right away,” allowing for a smile.
The judge set Wednesday as the deadline to pay the $ 540, which includes $ 40 in court costs.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer was born and raised in Freehold and now lives in Colts Neck.
“Sir. Springsteen is satisfied with the outcome of today’s court appearance,” said Ansell in a statement issued after the brief hearing. “The prosecutor was unable to provide the necessary evidence and facts regarding the charge of driving under influence (DUI) and reckless driving, and therefore dismissed both charges, Mr. Springsteen, who has no criminal record of any kind, voluntarily pleaded guilty to violation of alcohol consumption in an enclosed area, agreeing to a fine $ 500. We want to thank the court and we will have no further comments at this time. ”
The musician known worldwide as The Boss was arrested after a ranger saw him taking a shot of tequila and starting the engine on his Triumph motorcycle, according to court records.
The ranger who arrested Springsteen said the singer smelled strongly of alcohol, had glassy eyes and swayed back and forth during sobriety tests.
Sandy Hook is part of the Gateway National Recreation Area and is administered by the National Park Service. In 2019, the park banned alcohol after hundreds of alcohol incidents in previous years.
Springsteen made headlines earlier this month when he appeared in a Super Bowl commercial for Jeep, the musician’s first time. Called “The Middle”, the two-minute play showed the singer driving a Jeep around a Kansas church while narrating an appeal for political unity.
After news of DWI’s arrest surfaced, Jeep said it was suspending the ad.
And earlier this week, Springsteen and former President Barack Obama released two episodes of the podcast they created, called “Renegades: Born In The USA”. The two discuss a variety of topics; the two became friends during the Obama presidency and Springsteen held a private concert at the White House in January 2017.
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Kevin Shea can be reached at [email protected]