NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – Former NFL and Alabama quarterback Jay Barker has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of reckless endangerment following his arrest in January when he was accused of domestic violence.
The incident happened on January 15 near his Nashville home. Harry Jerome Barker, better known as Jay Barker, allegedly tried to hit his wife, country music singer Sara Evans, with his car.
An arrest warrant says officers were called to a domestic disturbance around 1:30 a.m. that day. When officers arrived on scene, the victim told them she was at a party at her neighbor’s house across the street and, when the party was ending, she got into the passenger seat of a car and had someone drive her across the street.
As the car she was in crossed the threshold of her driveway, she allegedly saw Barker put his car in reverse and accelerate toward them, trying to hit them. Barker missed and the victim stated Barker drove away before she called police, according to the affidavit.
Barker was taken into custody on a 12-hour hold for domestic violence and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
According to Steve Hayslip with the District Attorney General’s office, Barker entered a best interest plea – meaning he doesn’t admit guilt, but agrees a guilty plea is in his best interest – Thursday with a diversion to a charge of reckless endangerment. Conditions of the plea mandate a 26-week-long Batterer’s Intervention Program and the disposal of any firearms he may have.
During his NFL career, Barker played for the Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, and Carolina Panthers. He later played for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League and the short-lived Birmingham Thunderbolts of the first wave of the XFL.
He is best known for his time in college as the Alabama Crimson Tide’s quarterback.
Barker and Evans are still married but separated. The District Attorney’s Office says the couple is in the process of finalizing their divorce.
Nexstar’s WKRN has reached out to Barker for comment.
