Bruce Springsteen's Drunken Driving Charge Dropped

NEW JERSEY — New Jersey rock icon Bruce Springsteen pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday to one of three charges connected to his November 2020 arrest. The drunken driving and reckless driving charges were dropped.

Springsteen, 71, was arraigned Wednesday via video conference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Anthony Mautone. The "Born To Run" songwriter pleaded guilty to the charge of drinking in a closed area, accepting “full responsibility” for his actions and agreeing to pay a $500 fine — with $40 fees — by next week.

Springsteen, a Freehold native, was arrested in November 2020 at Gateway National Recreation Area on Sandy Hook on charges of drunken driving, reckless driving and consuming alcohol in a closed area. Each initial charge made against Springsteen is a Class B misdemeanor, which could each incur up to a $5000 fine and six-month prison term upon conviction.

During the arraignment, Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Baker noted that the government "does not believe it can sustain its burden of proof" in regard to either the drunken driving or reckless driving charge.

“With respect to the first charge of consuming alcohol in a closed area, as I noted, the defendant agrees to plead guilty today to that charge,” Baker said. “With the remaining two charges, I just want to further note that with a BAC reading of .02, it’s actually low enough that the defendant would be considered presumptively not impaired under NJ law.”

Citing the .02 BAC reading, the court dismissed both the operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and reckless driving charges.

During his appearance, Springsteen did admit he was aware it was illegal to consume alcohol at the federal park and that he did consume two “small shots” of tequila prior to his arrest at the Lighthouse Keepers Quarter.

Court documents obtained by Patch say that Springsteen was arrested after he consumed a shot of tequila, hopped on his motorcycle and started the engine. The bottle of liquor was "completely empty" after it was poured, and he was told by a park ranger that alcohol was prohibited at Sandy Hook, according to a "statement of probable cause."

Springsteen told the park ranger that he consumed two shots of tequila over the previous 20 minutes and that he was planning to drive out of the park, according to a statement from a park ranger. "Springsteen smelt strongly of alcohol coming off his person and had glassy eyes," the statement said.

The ranger said Springsteen ran through field sobriety tests — although he refused a breath test — and he was "visibly swaying back and forth," the statement said. The rocker took a walk-and-turn test and took 45 steps when he was instructed to take 18.

Baker also noted that, while Springsteen refused an initial breath test, preliminary breath tests are not required by law. He added that the musician did submit to a breath test once at the ranger station.

Springsteen was ultimately ordered to pay the $540 fine by March. 3.

"I think I can pay that immediately, your honor," he said.