Birmingham Radio: Sports Talker Jay Barker Arrested

Country music singer Sara Evans' husband, Jay Barker, was arrested in Nashville on Saturday morning and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He allegedly tried to hit Evans with his vehicle, reports A Taste of Country.

As of late Saturday afternoon, he was being held on a 12-hour domestic violence hold.

Barker, 49, was charged with one count of felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Court records indicate he was to be held for 12 hours because the charge related to “domestic violence.”

His arrest booking report lists him by his full name of Harry Jerome Barker, reports The Tennessean.

Jay Barker was a Heisman finalist during his career as Alabama's quarterback and led the Crimson Tide to the 1992 national championship.

Documents on file with Metro Nashville General Sessions Court said the people in the vehicle were leaving a party around 1:30 a.m. Saturday. As they pulled into the driveway of a nearby home, Barker allegedly reversed his vehicle “at a high rate of speed attempting to hit them, but missed,” according to the arrest affidavit.

The vehicle's occupants contacted police after Barker drove away from the home, the affidavit states. Police made contact with Barker when he later drove by the house.

CBS-42 in Birmingham, Ala., uncovered the affidavit of Barker’s arrest, revealing that the incident occurred after 1AM. Evans is said to have been in the passenger seat of a friend’s vehicle, leaving a party at a neighbor’s house. She allegedly saw Barker backing up his vehicle "at a high rate of speed attempting to hit them."  Barker drove off, but returned and talked to police officers.

Barker’s bond was set at $10,000. He is scheduled to appear in court in March.  Barker has been married to Evans since 2008.

Evans' romance and marriage to Barker are a large part of her 2020 memoir, Born to Fly. The relationship began soon after her contentious divorce from Craig Schelske (2006), with whom she had three children.

Evans filed for divorce last August from Barker.   According to court records obtained by Scoop Nashville, Evans filed a complaint seeking divorce on Aug. 23, 2021, citing irreconcilable differences and inappropriate marital conduct. At the time, Evans also alleged Barker was guilty of inappropriate marital conduct, court records added. 

Barker led Alabama to the 1992 national championship, including a victory over No. 1-ranked Miami in the Jan. 1, 1993, Sugar Bowl. He is the school’s all-time winningest quarterback with a 35-2-1 record as a starter, and won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award in 1994 as a senior. He finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting that year.

Barker hosts a radio show carried on WTUG 100.9 HD2 FM in Tuscaloosa as its flagship station.  He previously had a morning sports talk radio show with Al Del Greco and Tony Kurre on WJOX in Birmingham.