The pop star was spotted sticking her upper body through an SUV roof on the 101 Freeway on July 8, sparking concern from fans
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NEED TO KNOW
- Britney Spears spoke out after photos showed her standing through a sunroof on a busy L.A. freeway
- Spears reacted to the July 8 traffic incident with a statement shared on Instagram on July 11
- The incident comes after Spears’ rep addressed reports she was “erratic” during a May night out and after she struck a plea deal in her March DUI case
Britney Spears has shared a statement days after her behavior on a Los Angeles freeway sparked concern.
The pop star, 44, was photographed poking her upper body through the sunroof of a black Mercedes SUV in traffic on the 101 Freeway near L.A.’s Studio City neighborhood. Outlets including the Daily Mail and Page Six published photos of the July 8 incident, drawing concern from fans.
Spears later reacted to the photos of herself in traffic on Instagram on Saturday, July 11, writing a message alongside a shot of the incident.
“What people see is two seconds of insanity of me arching me to the lords !!!!! yet the days and hours of my reality !!!!!! Nothing is what it seems,” she wrote of the traffic incident. “Psss I think I need to come out of the roof quite a bit more 🙄😳🤦♀️😂.”
A rep for Spears did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
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Spears could be seen stretching out both of her arms across the roof and throwing back her head during the traffic incident, photos shared by the Daily Mail and Page Six show. In the images, she appears unfazed by the freeway traffic around her, reportedly moving at speeds around 45 miles per hour.
The pop star stood with her body poking through the sunroof for approximately two minutes before the SUV — which was being driven by a man in a cowboy hat and sunglasses — exited the California freeway, the outlets reported, citing witnesses.
Spears, who wore a tan minidress during the July 8 outing, and the unidentified driver were later seen pulling into a gas station. The “Toxic” singer had been traveling from her home in Thousand Oaks, north of L.A., per Page Six.
“Britney just went through the sunroof for a quick moment. She wanted to see what the traffic was about up ahead because the cars came to a stop,” a source told the Daily Mail. “She wanted to see how long they would be delayed.”
The same source added that Spears “used to do this all the time as a kid growing up in the South,” and said the star “didn’t mean to do anything bad.”
The traffic incident comes after Spears’ representative addressed reports that she was “erratic” during a May night out at dinner, including allegedly wielding a knife.
After TMZ reported that she was seen “screaming,” “barking” and walking while holding a knife at Sherman Oaks’ Blue Dog Tavern on May 13, a rep for the “Everytime” singer said that reports were “completely blown out of proportion.”
“Britney was enjoying a quiet dinner with her assistant and bodyguard,” the rep said in a statement shared with PEOPLE on May 14. “She was simply telling the story about how her dog was barking at the neighbors. At no point did she put anyone in danger with a knife. She was cutting her hamburger in half.”
“This constant attack on everything that she does, and this is exactly what happened 20 years ago when the media tried to depict Britney as a bad person,” the rep continued. “This is ridiculous, and it needs to stop now.”
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Spears’ statement about her traffic incident also comes months after she was arrested in March in Ventura, Calif., for allegedly driving under the influence. Spears voluntarily sought treatment in April and took a plea deal in the case in May.
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Spears pleaded guilty to a wet reckless on May 4 and was sentenced to 12 months of summary probation and one day in jail, credited as time served. She was also fined $571 and must attend a three-month DUI program that includes 30 hours of class time. In addition, Spears agreed to see a psychologist once a week and a psychiatrist twice a month.
“Through her plea today, Britney has accepted responsibility for her conduct. She has taken significant steps to implement positive change, which is clearly reflected in the Ventura County District Attorney’s decision to reduce the charge in this case and dismiss the DUI,” Spears’ attorney, Michael A. Goldstein, said in a statement following the plea deal. “Britney appreciates this discretion and is also grateful for the outpouring of support she has received.”
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