Bruce Springsteen allegedly refused breathalyzer — and police report says rocker smelled 'strongly of alcohol'



The fallout pendulum from iconic rock 'n' roller Bruce Springsteen's arrest last November on suspicion of drunk driving might be taking another swing out of his favor.

Now what?

After multiple reports emerged Wednesday saying Springsteen got busted at Gateway National Recreation Area in Sandy Hook, New Jersey, the "Born to Run" singer-songwriter saw his commercial for Super Bowl get pulled by Jeep — and things weren't looking up.

The Middle. https://t.co/dbsgWV35i0
— Bruce Springsteen (@Bruce Springsteen)1612751989.0

But then new details emerged that Springsteen allegedly consumed only one shot of tequila while taking photos with fans and was far under the Garden State's blood-alcohol legal limit — so why charge him with a DWI?

Well, a new story from the New York Post — citing a police report and sources — said Springsteen allegedly refused to take a breathalyzer test despite smelling "strongly of alcohol" and appeared drunk and had poured the last shot out of a Patron bottle.

The paper reported that a source "close to Springsteen" said "the incident escalated because once the officer approached Bruce on his motorcycle he refused to take a breathalyzer test. The cop got pissed off, took Bruce in, and made him do blood work."

More from the Post:

Springsteen also allegedly admitted to the park ranger, R.L. Hayes, that he'd downed two shots of tequila before trying to leave the picturesque federal park on his motorcycle.

Hayes wrote in a probable cause affidavit that he was on foot patrol when he spotted the 71-year-old rock legend downing a shot of Patron before getting on his bike and "start the engine."

"The Patron bottle that the shot was poured out of was completely empty (750ml)," the ranger wrote in the affidavit. "I asked Springsteen if he was leaving and he confirmed that he was going to drive out of the park."

The ranger said he advised Springsteen — who was near the park's historic lighthouse — that drinking on park premises "is prohibited."

He claimed in the report that the New Jersey native "smelt strongly of alcohol coming off his person and had glassy eyes" — and refused to take a breathalyzer "despite signs of intoxication."

Springsteen allegedly "claimed that he had two shots of tequila in the last 20 minutes."

The paper added that the affidavit also included details of Springsteen's alleged failed field sobriety test — including Hayes saying that Springsteen was "visibly swaying back and forth while I observed his eyes."

"I observed five out of eight clues on the walk and turn test," the ranger also noted, according the Post. "Springsteen took 45 total steps during the walk and turn instead of the instructed 19. [He] refused to provide a sample on the preliminary breath test."

Springsteen was reportedly taken in to get his blood-alcohol level checked, and the Asbury Park Press reported it registered only .02 — well under New Jersey's .08 legal limit.

Anything else?

The artist known far and wide as "the Boss" faces charges of driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, and consuming alcohol in a closed area, NBC News reported, citing National Park Service spokeswoman Brenda Ling.

Springsteen's representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment, the network reported.

Gateway is federal property, which means Springsteen, 71, has a Newark Federal Court appearance ahead of him, the New York Daily News reported, adding that he lives near the park in Colts Neck.

Jeep yanks Bruce Springsteen's Super Bowl ad following DWI revelation even as reports emerge that the rocker was well under the legal limit



Jeep has pulled its Super Bowl LV ad following the revelation of musician Bruce Springsteen's November DWI charge.

New reports have also emerged alleging that Springsteen had just one shot of tequila and was well under New Jersey's legal limit for blood alcohol content.

What ad is this?

The advertisement featured 71-year-old Springsteen driving a Jeep through America's heartland while musing on what it means to physically — and theoretically — meet in the middle.

"We just have to remember the very soil we stand on is common ground so we can get there," he says. "We can make it to the mountaintop through the desert, and we will cross this divide. Our light has always found its way through the darkness. And there's hope on the road up ahead."

The ad concluded with a dedication: "To the ReUnited States of America."

What are the details?

Jeep on Wednesday night removed the Super Bowl LV commercial after news broke regarding Springsteen's DWI and reckless driving charge.

Authorities arrested Springsteen in his home state of New Jersey in November.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Jeep said, "It would be inappropriate for us to comment on the details of a matter we have only read about and we cannot substantiate. But it's also right that we pause our Big Game commercial until the actual facts can be established. Its message of community and unity is as relevant as ever. As is the message that drinking and driving can never be condoned."

Springsteen himself has yet to publicly address the charge or Jeep's subsequent decision to remove the ad from circulation.

The advertisement still appears on Springsteen's Twitter feed at the time of this reporting.

The Middle. https://t.co/dbsgWV35i0
— Bruce Springsteen (@Bruce Springsteen)1612751989.0

Just one shot?

Authorities arrested Springsteen at New Jersey's Gateway National Recreation Area on charges that included DWI, reckless driving, and consuming alcohol in a closed area.

National Park Service spokesperson Brenda Ling said that Springsteen was cooperative throughout the process.

The Asbury Park Press reports that the rocker's blood alcohol content was 0.02 — which is a quarter of New Jersey's legal limit — when he was arrested.

The New York Post on Thursday reported that authorities busted Springsteen after just one shot of tequila.

From the Post:

Bruce Springsteen was allegedly busted in Sandy Hook, New Jersey, when he pulled over to take pictures with fans — and then took a shot of tequila offered by one of them in full view of the cops, a music industry insider said.

The "Born to Run" icon, 71, had been riding his motorcycle on the peninsula on Nov. 14 when he 'was spotted by fans who asked him to pull over and take some pictures,' according to a source close to Springsteen.

"Bruce stopped, took the pictures, then a fan offered him a shot of liquor, which he took, while sitting on his bike, which was stationary," the source said. "Park Police saw what happened and they immediately pulled Springsteen over as he drove away."

The Post has not been able to immediately verify this account with law enforcement.

The New York Daily News reported that a first-offense DWI carries a fine of $250-$400, an installation of an ignition interlock — which measures a driver's blood alcohol level — for a period of three months, two six-hour sessions at the state's Intoxicated Driver Resource Center, and a $1,000 vehicle insurance surcharge for a period of three years.