Police say two witnesses dispute Justin Bieber’s Ferrari story
Though Justin Bieber’s camp denies he was driving the vehicle, police say they have two witnesses who saw the pop singer behind the wheel of his Ferrari when neighbors claim it sped through their gated Calabasas neighborhood over the weekend.
Former NFL star Keyshawn Johnson was outside with his daughter and another resident was taking trash out when they saw Bieber driving, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Steve Whitmore said.
Authorities are considering a possible misdemeanor reckless-driving charge against the teen entertainer. Investigators are expected to present their case to the Los Angeles district attorney’s office in the next two weeks, Whitmore said.
Johnson, a former USC standout and Super Bowl winner with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, confronted Bieber about his driving during the weekend incident, Whitmore said.
He said Johnson reported seeing the Ferrari speed past his home, where his 3-year-old daughter was playing in an electric car in the driveway. Johnson said he took his daughter inside and then drove to Bieber’s nearby home, where he saw the singer backing the Ferrari into a garage.
Whitmore provided the details after Johnson’s publicist confirmed that the former pro football player was a witness in the case.
When Johnson arrived at Bieber’s home, he reached out his arm to prevent the garage door from closing and confronted Bieber, who was in the driver’s seat, according to police reports.
“He was concerned about his daughter, and he wanted to talk to Mr. Bieber about that,” Whitmore said. “Mr. Bieber hurried into the home without talking to anybody.”
A source told The Times that as Bieber went inside, someone threatened to call authorities on Johnson, to which Johnson agreed, “Call the cops.”
Bieber’s team has denied that the singer was speeding through the neighborhood and was behind the wheel only as he backed the Ferrari into the garage, said a source familiar with the investigation.
Bieber refused to talk with sheriff’s deputies who were called to the scene, Whitmore said. He has not yet given a statement on the matter.
The incident is only the latest rift to develop between Bieber and his neighbors.
Prosecutors are already weighing whether to charge Bieber for battery for allegedly spitting on a neighbor in March after the neighbor complained about the singer and his entourage speeding through the neighborhood.
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