Prosecutors Drop DWI Charges Against Bruce Springsteen, Fined $500

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 04: Bruce Springsteen performs onstage during the 13th annua
Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for The Bob Woodruff Foundation
Hannah Knudsen

A judge dismissed two charges, DWI and reckless driving, against rocker and outspoken Joe Biden supporter Bruce Springsteen, who pleaded guilty to consuming alcohol in an enclosed area, related to his November 14 arrest. He has been fined $540, per Magistrate Judge Anthony Mautone.

The “Born in the U.S.A.” singer appeared in court on Wednesday for charges related to his November 14 arrest, which included driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, and consuming alcohol in a closed area.

While he initially pleaded “not guilty” to all three charges, prosecutors agreed that there was “enough evidence to prove” he consumed alcohol in an enclosed area, according to Asbury Park Press updates. Asbury Park Press, which covered the hearing live, added that the government “does not believe it can sustain it’s burden of proof (in proving the DWI charge.)”

Mautone, the outlet said, went as far as praising Springsteen’s driving record. “He says he has two violations, one use of a handheld device,” the outlet reported.

Springsteen reportedly told the judge he can “immediately” pay the fine.

TMZ initially reported the arrest, which occurred at New Jersey’s Gateway National Recreation Area, earlier this month. The report drew heavy backlash, particularly due to the fact that Springsteen appeared in a Super Bowl commercial for Jeep, in which the left-wing rocker urged Americans to meet in the middle.

As a result of the backlash stemming from the drunk driving arrest, Jeep suspended the campaign.

“It would be inappropriate for us to comment on the details of a matter we have only read about and we cannot substantiate,” a Jeep spokeswoman said at the time. “But it’s also right that we pause our Big Game commercial until the actual facts can be established. Its message of community and unity is as relevant as ever. As is the message that drinking and driving can never be condoned.”

While initial reports indicated that Springsteen, an outspoken anti-Trumper, remained cooperative throughout the arrest, park ranger R. L. Hayes claimed that Springsteen initially resisted taking a preliminary breath test (PBT). Fox News also reported that the ranger claimed to have witnessed Springsteen “‘consume a shot of Patron tequila’ before getting on his motorcycle to ‘start the engine.'”

The dismissal comes just days after the “Glory Days” crooner’s podcast with former President Barack Obama, Renegades: Born in the U.S.A., debuted on Spotify. The podcast features the two discussing hot button issues such as “race, fatherhood, marriage, and the state of America.”

Last October, Springsteen teased a move to Australia in the event of a Trump presidential victory. He later went on to perform at President Biden’s inaugration celebration.

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