Sam in the slammer?
Country music singer Sam Hunt was arrested last week in Henderson County, Tennessee, which was first reported by TMZ. For those that don’t know, that’s about halfway between Memphis and Nashville – where Hunt lives with his wife and two kids (the couple is expecting to have their third child in May).
The singer-songwriter was reportedly driving too fast while in Henderson County, which prompted the authorities to turn on their lights and stop Hunt’s vehicle.
Police records show that the “Locked Up” (ironic) singer was arrested on January 20 after he was pulled over by the police. Hunt was initially hit with charges of speeding and violating an interlock device. An interlock device, also known as an ILD, is a device that is installed in vehicles that requires a breathalyzer test before starting the vehicle. Typically, people who have interlock devices have had prior issues with driving while under the influence.
That adds up, because back in 2019, the country artist was arrested for a DUI while driving around in Nashville. Cops spotted him heading the wrong direction down a street in Music City (Ellington Parkway to be exact) and pulled him over. At the time, his blood alcohol level was .173, which is twice the legal limit. He admitted to the officers that he had been drinking, and had open containers in his vehicle… which isn’t a great look for the “Drinkin’ Too Much” singer.
Hunt eventually owned up to the mistake in an interview:
“It’s not that I don’t drink at all, but I put myself in a position by being out, seeing friends at a show, leaving my phone in an Uber. We’d Uber’d all night, then went back to a friend’s house, had some pizza. I fell asleep on the couch, woke up groggy. I should’ve been more conscious, but I wasn’t. So I take responsibility.”
The country singer later pleaded guilty to two counts of DUI in the Davidson County Circuit Court and was sentenced to 11 months and 29 days in jail. Under the plea that he entered into, all of the jail time was suspended, except for 48 hours that were served alternatively at DUI Education Centers. Hunt also completed an alcohol safety course.
Even with all of that, Sam lost his driver’s license for an entire year, and was only allowed to get it back if he equipped his vehicle with an interlock device. Based on the charges that he briefly faced in 2025, he somehow violated the interlock device that was in his car and was driving without properly utilizing it. Sam Hunt was taken into custody after the speeding violation, but was later released the same day on $1,500 bond.
A representative of Sam Hunt later told TMZ that the charges were dropped after Sam and his lawyer cleared all necessary paperwork. The speeding ticket that was issued to the country star has yet to be paid, though the “Body Like A Backroad” singer reportedly will pay it.
Needless to say, not a great start to the New Year for Sam Hunt… but… who hasn’t got a speeding ticket at some point in their life?
Sam has remained relatively quiet over the past handful years, releasing an EP and a few one-off singles here and there. His most recent single, “Liberty,” was released this past fall.