Country crooner Randy Travis was arrested and charged for DWI and threatening law officers after driving his car, while naked, into several barricades in a construction zone near Tioga, Texas on August 7, as reported by several news sites including the Washington Post and the New York Daily News.
Travis, 53, was arrested in Texas once before this year for public intoxication.
On August 8 Travis was seen leaving the Grayson County jail in Sherman, shoeless, wearing nothing but a set of scrubs and an orange baseball cap from the University of Texas – the hat and the bail amount, $21,500, were allegedly gifts from fans.
Travis drove his Pontiac Trans Am off a roadway near his home according to the spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety, Tom Vinger. After being discovered by DPS troopers – allegedly asleep – Travis refused to submit to a field sobriety test that would allow his blood to be checked for alcohol. He was also deemed combative.
The driver that called 911 to report seeing the singer naked and lying in the road allegedly told the operator that the discovery "freaked" him out. The unidentified caller continued, "It looked like a deer at first, but as came by it looked human. I want to say it was a white male, light brown hair, but I'm not so sure. I want to say he had no shirt on, but I don't know. I want to stay in the vehicle."
A statement prepared by the Grayson County Sheriff's Office read, "Travis had a strong odor of alcoholic beverage on his breath and several signs of intoxication. While Travis was being transported, Travis made threats to shoot and kill the troopers working the case."
Sgt. Ricky Wheeler, with the Grayson County Sheriff's Department, told reporters, "At one point during the evening and at some point after that he made contact with him, he threatened to kill two of the troopers."
An earlier report, of a naked man that matched Travis' description, came from a convenience store that claimed a naked man had come in to purchase cigarettes but wasn't able to pay for them.
A spokesperson for Travis refused to comment on the arrest. The Grayson County district attorney's office also failed to return a message seeking comment.
In his mug shot, provided by the Grayson County, Texas, Sheriff's Office, Travis is seen with bruises and cuts to his face.
Travis' earlier arrest, after being spotted in a parked car near a church in Sanger, was for public intoxication.
Also this year Travis has been enmeshed in a court battle with his former wife and manager, Elizabeth Travis. She has sued him for terminating her without notice and he has countersued her for divulging confidential information that would serve to hurt his singing career.
Whether the information Elizabeth Travis was set to release had to do with Travis' alcohol habits have yet to be confirmed.
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