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Joe Don Rooney has reportedly pleaded guilty to a DUI charge. The former Rascal Flatts lead guitarist and singer was arrested in the early morning hours of September 9, 2021, in connection with the incident. It happened near Franklin, located in Williamson County, Tennessee.
After entering his plea on Wednesday (June 1), Rooney was ordered to serve two days of jail time, reporting on June 8, with the remaining 11 months and 27 days of his sentence suspended. Having lost his license, the former Rascal Flatts band member could also apply for a restricted license to drive a vehicle with a breathalyzer device in it, and he will have to undergo DUI program, per the Nashville-based Tennessean and other news outlets following Rooney’s guilty plea.
TMZ obtained a police affidavit about a month after Rooney’s arrest in Middle Tennessee. The document stated that Rooney told police that a deer caused him to leave the road and ultimately crash into a tree. He reportedly smelled of alcohol and admitted that he’d gone to a friend's house after playing golf and had “one more than I should have.” He failed “several” field sobriety tests at the time, the entertainment news hub noted at the time. Authorities took Rooney to jail and he was released after posting a $2,500 bond.