(Reuters) — Pop star Justin Bieber was arrested and charged with assault and dangerous driving over the weekend after an incident near the small Canadian town where he grew up, local police said on Tuesday (September 2).
The charges came after two drivers got into a “physical altercation” on Friday (August 29), thePerth County Ontario Provincial Police said in a release.
A minivan and an all-terrain vehicle had collided near the town of Stratford, Ontario.
“As a result of (the) investigation, it appeared that one of the occupants of the van and the operator of the ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) had words and there was an altercation that took place, and as a result of that we ended up arresting Justin Bieber for the offenses that were committed,” Ontario Provincial Police Spokesman Kees Wijnands told reporters.
Bieber was visiting the Canadian province with Selena Gomez, a pop singer and former Disney TV star. The two have been in a four year on-and-off relationship.
“Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez’ peaceful retreat in Stratford this weekend was unfortunately disrupted by the unwelcome presence of paparazzi,” said Bieber’s lawyer, Brian Greenspan, in an emailed statement.
“This has regrettably resulted in charges of dangerous driving and assault.”
The news came just weeks after Bieber pleaded guilty to careless driving and resisting an officer without violence in Florida, part of a deal to resolve allegations he was caught drag racing in a Lamborghini under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
In July, he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor vandalism for pelting a neighbor’s home with eggs, and was sentenced to two years probation by a Los Angeles court.
In January he was charged with assaulting a limo driver in Toronto.
