Charges against country music star Chris Young dropped by Nashville D.A.
Charges against country music star Chris Young have been dropped, less than a week after an alleged run-in with police at the DawgHouse Saloon in Nashville.
"After a review of all the evidence in this case, the Office of the District Attorney has determined that these charges will be dismissed,” Nashville Dist. Atty. Glenn Funk announced Friday in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The “I’m Comin’ Over” and “Famous Friends” musician is preparing for the March release of his ninth studio album, "Young Love & Saturday Nights."
The alleged incident occurred Monday night at the Nashville hot spot.
The 38-year-old singer-songwriter was approached by Tennessee's Alcoholic Beverage Commission agents who were doing compliance checks at the neighboring Tin Roof bar at around 8:30 p.m, according to a copy of the arrest affidavit reviewed by The Times.
Read more: Chris Young arrested and charged with 3 misdemeanors after scuffle in Nashville bar
Young presented his ID to the agents, who scanned it and returned it to him, the report said. He asked a few questions. Young and several friends then followed the agents over to the DawgHouse Saloon.
“While walking out the door Mr. Young put his hands out to stop me from leaving the bar and struck me on the shoulder,” an agent wrote in the affidavit. “I then pushed Mr. Young to create distance since I had no idea of who Mr. Young was or what he had.”
Patrons of the bar began shouting. They surrounded the agents, "making the incident hostile,” the affidavit said.
Young was handcuffed and taken into custody. He was charged with assaulting an officer, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest — all misdemeanor charges.
In surveillance footage provided by Young's attorney, Bill Ramsey, and reviewed by The Times, Young appeared to put his left hand out to try to stop one of the agents passing him. One agent shoved him away, knocking the singer-songwriter into a high-top table. Both Young and a stool toppled over.
Prosecutors reviewed the video footage.
“Mr. Young and I are gratified with the DA’s decision clearing him of the charges and any wrong-doing,” Ramsey said Friday in a statement.
The country singer achieved fame in 2006 after winning the country-music reality TV competition “Nashville Star.” His second studio album, "The Man I Want To Be," released in 2009, went platinum. He's also enjoyed successes with Kane Brown on “Famous Friends” and with Mitchell Tenpenny on “At the End of the Bar.”
The DawgHouse, on Demonbreun Street in Nashville, serves fried pickles, a catfish finger basket and the Nash Smash burger.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
