FREEHOLD – A little too much fun with fans appears to have gotten “The Boss” in trouble last autumn.
Singer/Rock Legend Bruce Springsteen, 71, was charged with drunken driving in November according to multiple reports which state he received a ticket after taking a shot with fans while he was sitting on a motorcycle in Sandy Hook.
His blood alcohol level was below the state’s legal limit. The Freehold native has had no prior experiences with the law. Springsteen lives in a large estate in Colts Neck.
He was charged on November 14, 2020 with driving while intoxicated, reckless driving and consuming alcohol in a closed area on Sandy Hook, in the Gateway National Recreation Area in Monmouth County.
The singer has made no public statements concerning the incident. Jeep suspended airing a two-minute political film Springsteen made for the automobile company that debuted on the Super Bowl.
While some fans may have been surprised to learn of the arrest the group Mothers Against Drunk Driving said they were “outraged” to learn of the situation. Organization leaders issued a statement that they were upset that Springsteen’s arrest had not been made public by authorities in the state until after the Super Bowl commercial aired where he is seen driving a Jeep.
According to a Fox News report on February 11, the New Jersey icon wreaked of alcohol and he initially refused to take an alcohol test. A park ranger observed him take a shot o Patron tequila before he revved up his motorcycle.
The Ranger who arrested Springsteen had been told by the singer that he had two shots of tequila in the prior 20 minutes. The ranger also reported Springsteen smelled strongly of alcohol, wasvisibly swaying back and forth and his eyes were observed as glassy.
A report by The Asbury Park Press on February 10 noted that Springsteen’s blood alcohol content, was .02 – a quarter of the state’s legal limit of .08. The report added that “a source familiar with the case,” questioned why Springsteen was charged with DWI with having such a low level of alcohol.
It was reported by The New York Post that Springsteen was on his motorcycle and pulled over to have his photo taken with fans and later took a shot of tequila that he was offered by one of the fans. That report’s source credited to a “music insider.” The report added that Park police watched this unfold and pulled Springsteen over once he drove away.
The charges Springsteen faces would normally be handled in a New Jersey town’s municipal court but his case will be heard in a part of the federal courts known as enclave court. As Sandy Hook, and Gateway are part of the National Park Service, they are patrolled by park rangers who are federal law enforcement officers.
Drunken driving and traffic violations at Sandy Hook, are under the jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court in Newark.
According to the entertainment news show TMZ Springsteen’s charges will be heard a few weeks from now.
Two years ago, Sandy Hook, a 6-mile recreation area with family beaches, banned alcohol due to numerous alcohol violations during the time span between 2016 to 2018. For many years, it was the last beach to drink alcohol on.
The singer once owned a home in Rumson which is a short distance from Sandy Hook. He has also filmed music videos in that federal park including “Tunnel of Love” that came out in 1987 and “Hunter of Invisible Game” in 2014.
Springsteen’s motorcycle broke down during a solo ride in 2016, near Allaire State Park in Wall Township. Other riders assisted him and provided transport to a local tavern where they chatted about Freehold and motorcycles until his ride showed up.
