Rick Springfield Won't Do Jail Time for DUI Arrest

TMZ broke the story ... Springfield was arrested in May 2011 after cops in Malibu pulled over his 1963 Corvette Stingray ... and smelled booze. Sources tell TMZ Rick threatened to kill the deputy and his family if he had the car towed.

Springfield was charged with DUI ... but today, we've learned he cut a plea deal with prosecutors ... in which they agreed to drop the DUI charges in exchange for a no contest plea to reckless driving.

As party of the deal, Rick was put on 3 years probation ... and ordered to attend a 2 month traffic program.