The mother of a drunken-driving crash victim is expressing her disappointment. Justin Timberlake made light of his June 18 DWI during a show in Boston.
"So, uh, is there anyone here tonight that is driving — no, I'm just kidding," he joked. He then thanked his fans for 30 years of support.
@pey10_ He is a total savage ???????? #justintimberlake #jt #boston #tdgarden #justin #concert #tour ♬ original sound - Peyton
The former *NSYNC star was charged with DWI. He also received citations for failing to keep right and failing to stop at a stop sign. This happened after midnight in the Hamptons last month.
The MADD national ambassador stated, "there is nothing funny about" Timberlake's charges.
"It's very disappointing," Lockwood said. "He has a huge platform to bring awareness to this." She emphasized the national crisis of drunk driving. "Every 79 seconds, someone's killed or injured from drunk driving."
Lockwood noted Timberlake's legal case is ongoing. She added he "should not have mentioned anything about it at all." Instead, he could have used the moment to raise awareness.
"It's not funny," she said. "As a mom who lost a son, it's very disheartening. He lost a fan here. What message does it send to young fans?"
Thirty-seven people die from drunken driving each day in the U.S. Lockwood's son Austin became one of those 37 on June 8, 2018. He was headed for Wisconsin to help clean a cabin.
Austin was driving with a friend. The friend "decided to go over 70 miles an hour on a dangerous road." They slammed into a tree, killing Austin instantly. The driver received three years in prison and four years of extended supervision.
MADD CEO Stacey Stewart told Fox News Digital they are "profoundly disappointed" by Timberlake's remarks. She emphasized the seriousness of drunk driving.
"Drunk driving fatalities have increased by 33% since 2019," Stewart noted. "More than 13,000 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes in 2022." She stressed the importance of public figures using their platforms responsibly.
Stewart mentioned MADD's push for solutions. This includes "impaired driving prevention technology" in new vehicles through the federal HALT Act.