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Britney Spears may not face jail time after prosecutors in Ventura County filed a misdemeanor DUI charge tied to her March arrest on a Southern California freeway.
The 44-year-old singer is expected to be offered a "wet reckless" plea arrangement when her case reaches court on May 4. Under the agreement, Spears could plead guilty to reckless driving involving alcohol or drugs and avoid serving time behind bars.
Officials said the proposed resolution is commonly extended to first-time offenders whose cases do not involve injuries, crashes or a significantly high blood alcohol level. If
accepted, Spears would be placed on probation for one year, ordered to complete DUI education classes and required to pay court fines and fees.
Authorities noted that Spears has no prior DUI history, a factor believed to have influenced the recommendation.
The Grammy winner was arrested on March 4 after California Highway Patrol officers responded to reports of a black BMW allegedly speeding and weaving through traffic near Westlake Village. Officers later stopped the vehicle and said Spears displayed signs of impairment during the encounter.
She was booked and released the following morning.
Weeks after the arrest, Spears voluntarily entered a treatment facility, according to a representative for the singer. Sources close to the situation said her sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James, encouraged her to seek help as she struggled emotionally following the incident.
"She was shaken by everything that happened," a source said at the time. "The fear of jail forced her to seriously reevaluate where things were heading."
Because the charge is classified as a misdemeanor, Spears is not required to appear in court personally and can have an attorney attend the arraignment on her behalf.
The legal development arrives years after Spears regained control of her finances and personal affairs following the end of her publicized conservatorship.
Since then, the singer has maintained a lower public profile while continuing to share updates with fans online, though recent concerns surrounding her well-being have once again drawn public attention.
