Justin Timberlake pleads guilty to drunk driving in Hamptons case | Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake accepted a lesser sentence for a traffic violation on Friday, ending his criminal trial for drunken driving in the Hamptons, the wealthy coastal region east of New York City.

He pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol.

The singer, songwriter and actor entered Sag Harbor Municipal Court late this morning to officially enter a new plea.

Police escorted Timberlake as he left his lawyer's office and crossed a street to the courthouse while surrounded by a crowd, including journalists.

Timberlake remained standing throughout the trial and made a statement expressing remorse for his actions.

“I have not fulfilled the expectations I have of myself,” he said.

Timberlake said he was “grateful for the opportunity to move forward” and hopefully use his platform to help others make “better choices.”

“I should have judged better,” he told the judge. “I understand the seriousness of the situation.”

The former boy band star initially pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence (DWI) at a hearing last month and had his license suspended. The case was prosecuted by the office of Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney.

Timberlake was arrested shortly after midnight on June 18 in Sag Harbor, New York, after police said he missed a stop sign in the village center, left his lane and got out of his BMW smelling of alcohol.

In court documents, police also said the 43-year-old Tennessee man's eyes were “bloodshot and glassy,” he “spoke slowly,” was unsteady on his feet and scored poorly on all sobriety tests.

Timberlake told the officer he had been drinking a martini and was following some friends home, police said.

As part of the agreement, he was required to make a public security statement. Wearing a dark sweatshirt, Timberlake stepped out into the bright sunlight outside the courtroom and urged the public to learn from his mistake over the noise of traffic and the sound of cameras clicking.

“I understand that I have a platform … to all viewers and listeners: Do not get behind the wheel of a car, even if you have only had one drink. There are so many alternatives,” he said.

Timberlake added: “This is a mistake I made, but I hope that everyone watching and listening right now can learn from that mistake. I certainly have.”

He thanked the small town and its police force and said: “We can all be safer out there and I will do my part and hope everyone else does their part.”

Sag Harbor is a former whaling village mentioned in Herman Melville's classic novel Moby Dick. It is nestled in the Hamptons, a region of coastal communities that is home to many millionaires and billionaires and is often referred to as the playground of the super-rich. It is located about 100 miles east of Manhattan.

Timberlake's New York license suspension likely impacts his driving privileges in other states, a legal expert said this week. Refusing to take a breath test, as the singer did when he was arrested, automatically results in a driver's license suspension under New York state law, which should then be enforced in other states, said Kenneth Gober, managing partner of the law firm Lee, Gober & Reyna in Austin, Texas.

The Associated Press contributed to the reporting