Police officer who pulled Justin Timberlake over named Sag Harbor's officer of the year
The officer who arrested Justin Timberlake on suspicion of DWI was named Sag Harbor's Officer of the Year.
Police Officer Michael Arkinson was presented the award by Sag Harbor Police Chief Rob Drake at a ceremony hosted by the Southampton Kiwanis Club on Jan. 31.
Arkinson pulled Timberlake over on June 18, 2024 after Timberlake allegedly drove through a stop sign.
Court documents indicated Timberlake had bloodshot eyes and "performed poorly" on field sobriety tests. Arkinson could also allegedly smell alcohol on his breath.
Timberlake said he had one martini earlier in the evening.
In September, Timberlake pleaded guilty to Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI), a traffic violation. The DWI charge against him was dropped. His plea deal included a fine and 25 hours of community service. Timberlake also had to deliver a public safety announcement, which he did in front of cameras immediately after making the plea deal.
"Many of you have probably been covering me for a lot of my life, and as you may know, I try to hold myself to a very high standard, for myself. And this was not that. I found myself in a position where I could have made a different decision," Timberlake said.
Timberlake urged people to call a cab or a rideshare service if they've had even one drink.
"This is a mistake that I've made, but I'm hoping whoever's watching and listening right now can learn from this mistake. I know that I certainly have. And like I said, even one drink, don't get behind the wheel of a car."
