Ex-Alabama quarterback Jay Barker, who is married to Sara Evans, charged with felony assault

Cassandra Stephenson, Nashville Tennessean
·2 min read
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Former Alabama quarterback Jay Barker was arrested early Saturday morning in Nashville and charged with felony aggravated assault.

Barker, 49, is being held in Davidson County on a $10,000 bond with one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His arrest booking report lists him by his full name of Harry Jerome Barker.

Barker was placed on a 12-hour hold for domestic violence, according to Davidson County Sheriff's Office records. Jail records show he was admitted just after 4 a.m. Saturday and released around 7:30 p.m. He is due to appear in court on March 22.

[ Police records allege Jay Barker tried to hit two people with car in domestic violence incident ]

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 was selected in the fifth round of the 1995 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers but was cut from the roster. He spent time with the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers as a backup but never played in a regular-season game.

Barker hosts a radio show carried on 100.9 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.

What we know: Ex-Alabama QB Jay Barker charged with felony assault

He has been married to country music singer Sara Evans since 2008, his second marriage. The couple was married in Franklin, Tennessee. The pair separated in April, court records show. Sara Evans, whose legal name is Sara Barker, filed for divorce in August. The divorce complaint listed "irreconcilable differences" and "inappropriate marital conduct" on the part of Jay Barker.

Barker's son, Braxton Barker, was a walk-on backup quarterback at Alabama for the past four seasons. He announced recently that he is entering the transfer portal to leave for another school.

Rachel Wegner and Tommy Deas contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Ex-Alabama QB Jay Barker, married to Sara Evans, charged with felony