Darius Rucker’s arrest in Tennessee was for drug possession in incident last year, affidavit says

By Jamiel Lynch and Sara Smart, CNN

(CNN) — Hootie & the Blowfish frontman and country music singer Darius Rucker was arrested in Tennessee on Thursday, according to the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.

Rucker was arrested by police in Franklin and charged with simple possession/casual exchange and violation of registration law, according to Lt. Becky Coyle with the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.

On Friday, an arrest affidavit obtained by CNN affiliate WZTV detailed that the prior day’s arrest was for possession of drugs during an incident in February 2023.

Franklin Police say that on February 19, 2023, they pulled Rucker over for an expired license plate, according to the affidavit of complaint.

The officer said he “smelled a strong odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle” when he approached the vehicle. Rucker told the officer he did not smoke marijuana that night, but he had smoked marijuana in the vehicle the day prior, the affidavit says.

The officer searched the vehicle and found a bag that contained 14 unstamped purple pills in a jar and a THC pen, the affidavit says. Rucker told the officer that his girlfriend had given him the pills and the pen, but that he wasn’t sure what the pills were.

Before the officer conducted a pat down, Rucker handed the officer a marijuana blunt, the affidavit says.

Rucker was released that night without any charges pending the identification of the pills which the officer later submitted to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), according to the affidavit.  Results from TBI later identified the pills as Psilocyn, a “schedule I” controlled substance.

A warrant for Rucker’s arrest was issued in December 2023, according to the documents.

Rucker was then arrested on Thursday and released on a $10,500 bond.

CNN has reached out to the Franklin Police for more information about the delay in arrest.

Rucker is a three-time Grammy winner and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last year.

In a statement to CNN, Rucker’s attorney Mark Puryear said, “Darius Rucker is fully cooperating with authorities related to misdemeanor charges.”

CNN has reached out to Rucker’s publicist for a comment.

Franklin is about 22 miles south of Nashville.

CNN’s Jennifer Henderson and Megan Thomas contributed to this report.

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