25 February 2021
Newsdesk
Bruce Springsteen has agreed to pay a $500 (£360) fine in exchange for prosecutors dropping charges of reckless and drink-driving.
The rock legend was hit with the driving while intoxicated count back in November, minutes after stopping his motorcycle to take photos with a group of fans in Sandy Hook, in his native New Jersey.
A park ranger nearby spotted Springsteen, who is not a big drinker, take two shots of tequila offered by one devotee, before riding off, prompting his subsequent arrest.
However, during a virtual appearance in Newark Federal Court on Wednesday, prosecutors revealed they were dismissing the driving under the influence and reckless driving counts, admitting they were unable to sustain the "burden of proof" because Springsteen was well below the legal blood alcohol limit at the time of his bust.
Springsteen, who had no criminal history before the incident, instead pleaded guilty to consuming alcohol in a closed area, for which he received a fine.
After the ruling, his lawyer, Mitchell Ansell, told Rolling Stone: "Mr. Springsteen is pleased with the outcome of today's court appearance.
"We want to thank the Court and will have no further comment at this time."
News of the incident only emerged in early February, days after he appeared in a commercial for Jeep, called The Middle, which aired during the Super Bowl.
Jeep bosses decided to pull the ad in the wake of the controversy.
