Justin Bieber charged with attacking limo driver

Canadian musician Justin Bieber turns himself in to police in Toronto. Picture: AP

Bieber, 19, turned himself in to police, who allege the singer hit a limousine driver several times during an incident in December.

The Canadian singer is due to appear in court in Toronto on 10 March charged with one count of assault.

Bieber arrived at a police station amid a crowd media and screaming fans. He spent about an hour and a half in the police station before leaving through a back exit.

Bieber’s lawyer Howard Weitzman said the singer was innocent and expected the assault case to be treated as a low-level summary offence, the equivalent of a misdemeanour in the United States. He said it was now a matter for the court to handle.

In late December police investigated claims that a member of Bieber’s entourage attacked a limo driver. At the time police said it was unclear whether Bieber was involved.

Florida arrest

Meanwhile Bieber has pleaded not guilty to drink-driving charges, resisting arrest and driving with an expired licence in Florida.

Court records show Bieber’s lawyer filed the written plea in Miami-Dade County. Bieber already has a court date set for a February hearing, but Florida law does not require him to be present.

Bieber and R&B singer Khalil Amir Sharieff were arrested last week in Miami Beach during what police described as an illegal street drag race between a Lamborghini and a Ferrari. Neither has been charged with drag racing.

Police say Bieber swore at an officer and admitted to smoking marijuana, drinking and taking a prescription medication.

Bieber also remains under investigation for felony vandalism in Los Angeles County over an egg-throwing episode that damaged his neighbour’s home. Detectives searched his home on January 14 and prosecutors have sought additional information before determining whether to pursue charges.

Latest incident

The arrest and investigation, and now the Canada case, have brought Bieber more attention than the recent release of his latest album. Its reception has been far from the chart-topping success Bieber had after he debuted in 2009, with multiple platinum albums.

Last year Bieber made headlines for everything from clashing with a paparazzo and fainting at a show to being photographed smoking marijuana. German authorities charged him thousands of dollars after he abandoned a pet monkey that they seized from him for failing to have proper vaccination papers.

The singer also had to apologise to Bill Clinton after cursing the former US president and spraying his photo with cleaning fluid in a New York City restaurant kitchen.

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