Britney Spears has been formally charged with misdemeanor DUI after being arrested in March near her home in Westlake Village, California. The Ventura County District Attorney's Office filed the charge on Wednesday, stemming from an incident where police say Spears was swerving between lanes before being pulled over.
Dispatch audio obtained by TMZ revealed that authorities were alerted to a vehicle driving erratically. After being stopped, Spears was taken to a hospital for a blood test and then to jail, where she became emotional and cried during processing.
Prosecutors have indicated they will offer Spears a plea deal for a "wet reckless" charge, which allows a defendant to plead guilty to reckless driving involving alcohol or drugs. This offer is typically extended to first-time DUI offenders with low blood alcohol levels, no injury or crash involved, and when the defendant is willing to address underlying issues through rehabilitation. Spears will have the opportunity to accept this offer during her arraignment scheduled for Monday, May 4.
This is not Spears' first brush with the law. In 2007, she faced misdemeanor charges for an alleged hit-and-run incident.