Jay Barker issued a statement on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 16) after being arrested early Saturday morning on felony assault charges. Barker has been married to country singer Sara Evans since 2008, although new reports indicate the marriage was dissolving.
Taking to Instagram, Barker, 49, shares that he’s “humbled beyond words by the support I have received from friends, supporters, and so many in the Alabama family.” He goes on to insinuate that reports of his arrest and the events leading up to it are incomplete. His two-slide note does not offer new details, however. He asks for privacy.
The Tuscaloosa Thread broke news of Barker’s arrest on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 15), noting he was being kept on a 12-hour domestic violence hold and that his bond was set at $10,000. Later, several Nashville news outlets, like WKRN, obtained the arrest report, which states that Barker allegedly attempted to use his vehicle to ram into the vehicle the victim was a passenger in. The Tuscaloosa Thread identified the victim as Evans — a friend is said to have been driving her home from a party at a neighbor’s house when the incident occurred.
“We all confront challenges in life, and my family and I are facing one now,” Barker writes. “Unfortunately, headlines and quick-to-publish news stories do not adequately capture the full context and complex fabric of our lives. I love my family dearly, and at this difficult time, I respectfully ask for privacy for the sake of my family and especially for our kids.”
This was actually the second statement made by Barker after his arrest. Earlier on Sunday morning, Barker quoted Proverbs, adding, “My only answer tonight.” Both came from the Jay Barker Show Instagram page. Barker is on Tide 100.9 in Tuscaloosa, Ala., from noon to 2PM daily. Both the Tide and the Tuscaloosa Thread are owned by Townsquare Media, who also owns Taste of Country.
Scoop Nashville discovered that Evans filed for divorce from Barker in August, citing “irreconcilable differences and inappropriate marital conduct.” They also revealed the full police narrative, which reveals that Evans’ daughter, Olivia, was one of the witnesses.
Evans herself has not yet commented.
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