Summary: Justin Bieber was arrested for dangerous driving when he drove his ATV on a road in Ontario that prohibited such vehicles. After a wreck with a minivan, allegedly driven by paparazzi, a scuffle resulted in the singer’s arrest for assault.
It looks like Labor Day weekend wasn’t all fun and relaxation for pop megastar Justin Bieber. CTVNews.ca reports that Bieber was busted on Friday when he was driving an ATV on a road where a special permit is required to do so. Driving without such a permit, Bieber allegedly crashed into a minivan and then began fighting with a passenger in the van.
The crash and the fight happened near Bieber’s hometown of Stratford, Ontario. Ontario Provincial Police charged Bieber with dangerous driving and assault.
The arrest no doubt put a damper on Bieber’s holiday weekend, which he spent with Selena Gomez. Gomez and Bieber have been involved in an on-again, off-again relationship for several years. Last week, Bieber posted a photo to Instagram that captured the lovebirds horseback riding in Ontario. Us Weekly added that Gomez and Bieber arrived via private jet at the Waterloo airport in Ontario on Wednesday. Once they landed, the couple had to fight a crowd of eager fans to get to their private car.
On Saturday, celebrity gossip site TMZ.com posted pictures of Gomez and Bieber riding ATVs near the location of the incident. TMZ stated that the photos had been taken on the day of Bieber’s arrest.
Bieber was released after his arrest based on a “promise to appear.” He is scheduled to appear in court in Stratford on September 29. His attorneys stated the following about the incident: “Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez’s peaceful retreat in Stratford this weekend was unfortunately disrupted by the unwelcome presence of paparazzi. This has regrettably resulted in charges of dangerous driving and assault.” Bieber’s legal counsel also stated that both Bieber and Gomez were cooperative with police, and that they all hope to wrap this case up quickly.
Bieber is no stranger to trouble with the law. He had to pay more than $80,000 in damages when his neighbor’s Los Angeles home was vandalized. Bieber pled no contest to misdemeanor vandalism when the neighbor’s home was egged.
Just last month, Bieber’s legal team was able to talk prosecutors into accepting a plea bargain for the singer after he was charged with illegal drag racing in Florida several months ago. Bieber rented a Lamborghini and drove it through a residential neighborhood in Miami Beach.
Bieber’s attorneys argued that there was no evidence that Bieber was actually speeding, though part of the road had been blocked off to drivers. Bieber ultimately pled guilty to resisting arrest and careless driving. As part of the deal, Bieber will take anger-management classes, pay a $500 fine, and will make a $50,000 charitable donation.
Howard Srebnick, Bieber’s attorney, stated, “We will turn this into a positive experience. We’re relieved that it’s over.”
The singer is also scheduled to appear in court in Toronto on September 8 due to a separate assault charge. Bieber is accused of hitting a limousine driver repeatedly on December 30, 2013 as the star enjoyed a night out with his buddies.
Photo credit: complex.com