Teen pop sensation Justin Bieber will be arraigned on Valentine's Day before a Florida judge after his recent run-in with the law for driving under the influence, a state attorney's office source said on Tuesday.
Bieber, however, may not be required to attend the February 14 arraignment in Miami-Dade County, which will allow prosecutors to present the charges against him, which also include resisting arrest and using an expired driver's licence.
Although defendants typically make a plea at arraignments, Bieber's lawyer may be able to file in writing.
Bieber's lawyer, Roy Black, of Black, Srebnick, Kornspan & Stumpf, did not respond to AFP's request as to whether the Canadian star would be present.
Bieber, 19, was arrested on January 23 in Miami Beach after police caught him drag racing - allegedly after drinking and smoking marijuana.
The young star was detained for eight hours before being released on a $2 500 bond.
Police said Bieber was driving a rented yellow Lamborghini in a residential area when he was arrested in the wee hours of the morning racing rapper Khalil Amir Sharieff in a red Ferrari.
Miami Beach Police Chief Raymond Martinez told reporters that Bieber was incoherent at the time of his arrest, and was unable to produce a valid driver's licence.
The Canadian singer's newest run-in is the latest in a string of incidents to have tarnished the young star's image.
Bieber was already under investigation for allegedly hurling eggs at a neighbor's house in Los Angeles - an incident that led police to search his mansion, where they seized illicit drugs and arrested one of his associates.
He also attracted criticism on a recent tour of Australia after allegedly spraying graffiti on a hotel wall, following a string of similar events in Latin America last year. - Sapa-AFP