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Justin Bieber Speeding, Again? Deputies Investigating

By Betty Wang, JD on May 30, 2013 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Justin Bieber has been caught speeding, again. Or at least, his car has. It looks like the popstar and his now rather infamous white Ferrari can't stay out of trouble when it comes obeying speed limits.

First, on Monday, Bieber was allegedly zipping through his gated community outside Los Angeles at freeway speeds (well over the posted 25 mph limit) and upset one of his neighbors, ex-NFL player Keyshawn Johnson -- so much so that Johnson followed him home to confront his reckless driving.

Two days later, Bieber's Ferrari was pulled over again. But according to TMZ, it was not actually Bieber himself behind the wheel, but his friend, rapper Lil Twist.

Let's look at the potential legal implications for the Biebs.

Reckless Driving

LA County Sheriff's deputies are currently investigating Justin Bieber for misdemeanor reckless driving.

Reckless driving is generally defined as driving with a willful disregard for the safety of other people (including passengers, other drivers, and pedestrians). Reckless driving laws vary by state, but California's is consistent with the general definition.

Factors that determine whether or not the driving is "reckless" include speed, swerving, or tailgating too closely. Reckless driving is a misdemeanor in California, and comes with potential fines (up to $1,000) and even jailtime.

A common determination for whether or not the speed is considered reckless if it was 25 miles over the limit. Seeing as how Bieber was allegedly going at freeway speeds, this doesn't help his case -- though proving that in court may be a bit more difficult.

Vicarious Liability

What about the fact that Lil Twist was supposedly driving Justin's car and not Bieber himself when the Ferrari was pulled over on Wednesday? Could Justin be held liable in any way?

Yes, it's possible, through vicarious liability and/or negligent entrustment. Laws often make the car owner liable if it is found that he negligently entrusted the vehicle to someone else -- in other words, if Bieber had reason to know that Lil Twist would drive recklessly (an incident involving Lil Twist in December, also reported by TMZ, may have served as a clue).

Luckily, Lil Twist was actually let go with just a warning this time and faces no charges, despite supposedly speeding. Had he gotten into a more serious accident, however, then J-Biebs could potentially have been in some trouble.

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