‘Not my finest hour’: Pop star Justin Bieber opens up about his 2014 arrest

Canadian pop star Justin Bieber on Saturday posted a throwback picture of him being arrested in Miami seven years ago. He also penned down a note, reflecting upon his arrest.

“7 years ago today I was arrested, not my finest hour. Not proud of where I was at in my life. I was hurting, unhappy, confused, angry, mislead (sic), misunderstood and angry at god.. I also wore too much leather for someone in Miami.”

“All this to say God has brought me a long way. From then til now I do realize something.. God was as close to me then as he is right now. My encouragement to you is to ‘let your past be a reminder of how far god has brought you. Don’t allow shame to ruin your ‘today’ let the forgiveness of Jesus take over and watch your life blossom into all that God has designed you to be. LOVE YOU GUYS WITH MY WHOLE HEART.”

Here is what happened seven years ago:  

Bieber was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, resisting arrest without violence and driving with a license that was expired, the US media reported.

He was 19 back then and was behind the wheel of a rented yellow Lamborghini in the early morning hours of January 23, 2014, at a beach in Miami, Florida.

Also Read: Hailey Baldwin is the new ambassador of streetwear style

It still remains unknown how he got the car as the rental policy of Miami’s Lou La Vie – where rates start at $1,199 a day – states that drivers must be at least 25 years old. The police had stated that Bieber’s Georgia driver’s license expired seven months prior to his arrest.

Soon after 4 am, the “Baby” singer drove the exotic car, with model Chantal Jeffries in the passenger seat, along Pine Tree Drive, a four-lane divided road in Miami Beach. There also was a rented red Ferrari 16M Scuderia Spider which was driven by Bieber’s friend Khalil Amir Sharieff, iHeartRadio reported. 

Officer Steven Cosner who worked at the Miami Beach Police Department said that he saw two black SUVs behind the exotic cars “as if to stop traffic,” which “facilitated an open road for the two to race.”

As per a report in iHeartRadio, officer Fulgencio Medina went after the Lamborghini when Bieber turned right onto 41st Street and pulled over. Medina approached the driver’s side window and Bieber asked the officer: “Why did you stop me?”

In the arrest report, Medina noted: “I immediately smelled an odour of alcohol emanating from the drivers (sic)  breath and bloodshot eyes.”

“The driver had slow and deliberate movements and a stuper look on his face,” the police officer wrote.

Medina claimed that when he asked Bieber to step out of the vehicle, the pop-star asked: “Why the f**k are you doing this?.”

Justin Bieber reportedy kept putting his hands in his pockets and therefore, Medina commanded him to turn around and place his hands on the car so he could do a pat-down but he made things worse for himself by saying, “I ain’t got no f**king weapons,” Bieber allegedly said. “Why do you have to search me? What the f**k is this all about?”

At 4.13 am, the singer was placed under arrest by Medina with the assistance of Officers Molina and Pete Socarras. He was transported to Miami Beach Police Department by Officer Martin Dionne, who reported that Bieber insisted on not being drunk, according to iHeartRadio.

However, Bieber got out of it eventually and the case was closed.

Seven years after the incident, Justin is happily married to model Hailey Baldwin.