Sara Evans' Estranged Husband Jay Barker Addresses Arrest for Alleged Aggravated Assault with Car (2024)

Country singer Sara Evans' estranged husband Jay Barker shared his side of the story on social media Sunday after he was arrested and placed on a domestic violence hold over the weekend.

Barker, 49, asked for privacy while addressing reports of his arrest in an Instagram post, telling followers that he has been "humbled beyond words" by the support from his friends and family.

The athlete was charged with felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and placed on a 12-hour domestic violence hold in Nashville after he allegedly attempted to hit a car Evans, 50, was riding in with his car, according to his arrest report.

"We all confront challenges in life, and my family and I are facing one now," Barker wrote on Instagram. "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."

Barker, who was drafted to the NFL in 1995 but never played a regular season game, married Evans in 2008. They have no children together, but Barker has several children from a previous marriage and Evans is mom to Avery Jack, 22, Olivia Margaret, 18, and Audrey Elizabeth, 17, with first husband Craig Schelske.

Evans filed for divorce from Barker in August after 12 years of marriage, citing "irreconcilable differences" and "inappropriate marital conduct," according to documents obtained by Scoop Nashville. The documents also indicated that the couple had separated in April.

An attorney for Evans did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

The incident occurred early Saturday morning after the "Suds in the Bucket" singer left a party at a neighbor's house. As she rode in the car with a friend, they passed her driveway and she saw Barker parked there, according to his arrest report.

Sara Evans' Estranged Husband Jay Barker Addresses Arrest for Alleged Aggravated Assault with Car (1)

Evans then saw Barker "backing up his vehicle at a high rate of speed attempting to hit them but missed," WIAT reported. Barker allegedly fled before Evans was able to contact police, who arrived on the scene around 1:30 a.m. local time.

The affidavit says Barker eventually returned to the scene, where he spoke with officers and was ultimately arrested, per WIAT.

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Prior to Barker's arrest, Evans and a witness informed police that they believed Barker was intentionally attempting to hit the car they were riding in, according to the report.

Barker, who co-hosts The Jay Barker Show on 100.9 FM, was released from the Davidson County Jail on a $10,000 bond around 7:30 p.m. local time on Saturday. He is due back in court on March 22, according to his arrest records.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

Sara Evans' Estranged Husband Jay Barker Addresses Arrest for Alleged Aggravated Assault with Car (2024)

FAQs

What happened to Jay Barker? ›

Former Alabama quarterback Jay Barker traded a felony aggravated assault charge for misdemeanor reckless endangerment with a guilty plea, according to court records. Barker, whose full name is Harry Jerome Barker, was arrested January 15 after attempting to hit two people with a vehicle, according to court records.

Did Sara Evans get hit by a car? ›

Sara Evans was struck by a vehicle after crossing the highway at the age of eight. She was flung from the car after the collision, landing in a grassy field next to the road. She got a leg injury and a concussion, which prevented her from moving for six weeks.

Are Jay Barker and Sara Evans still married? ›

Barker, who has been married to Evans since 2008, was separated from his wife in April 2021 and is in the midst of a divorce.

Is Sara Evans still married to her second husband? ›

The arrest report revealed that the couple had separated, and Evans had filed for divorce five months prior to the incident. In fact, they'd been separated since April 2021, with Barker's primary residence listed as Homewood, Ala.

How rich is Sara Evans? ›

Sara Evans Biography
Real Name/Full NameSara Lynn Evans
Gender:Female
Profession:Country music singer and songwriter
Net Worth:$20 million
Last Updated:2023
20 more rows
Mar 15, 2023

What does Craig Schelske do for a living? ›

A politician is a person who has political power in the government of a state, a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government.
Wikipedia

Did Jay Barker try to hit Sara Evans with a car? ›

Former Alabama quarterback Jay Baker allegedly attempted to hit his wife, singer Sara Evans, with a car, according to jail records. Baker was jailed in Nashville around 4 a.m. Saturday morning after being arrested on a felony charge for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

What health issues has Sara Evans had? ›

She was unable to move from her hospital bed for six weeks. According to Evans, the accident itself and being tied to the hospital bed resulted in her having post-traumatic stress disorder. "I had severe PTSD and anxiety, but it was the '80s, and I didn't have a name for it," she explained.

Who was the nurse in the car crash? ›

Nicole Lorraine Linton, a 37-year-old female nurse at Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center, went 90 mph in her Mercedes-Benz, speeding past a red light in Windsor Hills, California, and setting several vehicles into flames. There were at least six vehicles involved in this tragic incident.

Why did Sara Evans leave Jay Barker? ›

Country singer Sara Evans filed for divorce from former Alabama QB Jay Barker citing 'inappropriate marital conduct' last year - four months before he was arrested for 'trying to run her over with his car' County singer Sara Evans filed for divorced from her estranged husband, former University of.

Where do Sara Evans and Jay Barker live? ›

Evans lives in Nashville full-time. Barker spends part of his time in Nashville but lives primarily in Birmingham due to his responsibilities hosting his radio show, Evans said. Despite the advantages of Nashville for Evans' career, she said she and Barker “really, really miss Mountain Brook.”

How many kids does Jay Barker have? ›

The couple has four children. In 2008, Barker married American country musician Sara Evans. They live in Mountain Brook, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham with his four children and Evans' three children.

Did Sara Evans have kids? ›

Who is Sara Evans married to now? ›

How many kids does Sara Evans husband have? ›

Sara Evans married former NFL quarterback Jay Barker in 2008 and Barker had four children from his previous marriage to Amy DiGiovanna.

Who did Jay Barker marry? ›

Does Sara Evans have any children? ›

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