Country singerZach Bryan is making sure everyone has his side of the story regarding his recent arrest. On Thursday, Sept. 7, the musician was arrested in Vinita, Oklahoma after an interaction with a police officer that he occurred while he was driving to Boston. As reported by The Tennessean, the 27-year-old was arrested and booked on an "obstruction of investigation" charge. In a five-minute video posted to X, formerly Twitter, Bryan shared more details about the incident, including saying that he acted "like a child" and "an idiot" when speaking to the police officer.
The singer, whose fame grew this year with the warm reception to his latest album, said that he wants to make sure that fans don't think he considers himself "above the law." Read on to find out more about the reason for Bryan's arrest and why he apologized for not handling it well.
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Bryan had another interaction with police a few days before his arrest.
Warning: Explicit language in the video above.
In his video, Bryan explains that three days before he was arrested, he had another run-in with a police officer. He says that he was driving through a small town in his home state of Oklahoma when he was pulled over for going "four or five [miles] over" the speed limit. The police officer asked him for his license, registration, and address, but he said that he wasn't comfortable giving his address, because he is a public figure. He said that the officer then threatened to take him to jail if he didn't provide it, and Bryan reiterated that he didn't feel comfortable.
He was then asked to get out of his car and was handcuffed for the remainder of the conversation. Eventually, he gave his address and was let off with a warning.
"He let me go because I just started respecting him," Bryan says of the officer in the video. "I think it just frustrated me a lot, because I didn't know if I had a right to refuse giving him my address."
He was arrested after his security person was pulled over.
Erika Goldring/WireImage via Getty ImagesBryan says that he decided to drive to Boston for a football game a few days later, on Sept. 7. He was driving in front of his security guard when his security guard was pulled over. The "I Remember Everything" singer pulled over to wait for the issue to be resolved. Eventually, he got out of his car to smoke a cigarette. (Bryan did not reveal why his security detail was pulled over.)
He claims that, at this point, a police officer asked him to get back in his car, and says that he responded, "I'm not the one getting pulled over." The officer then threatened to take him to jail if he didn't do as he was asked, per the star. "Like a [expletive], I said, 'Take me to [expletive] jail? What do you mean?'" Bryan recalls in the video.
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He was in custody for "a few hours."
Omar Vega/FilmMagic via Getty ImagesIn his video, Bryan continues, "I get too lippy with him. He brings me over to his car. I just didn't help my situation at all. I felt like a child. It was ridiculous. It was immature. I just pray everyone knows I don’t think I'm above the law. I was just being disrespectful and I shouldn’t have been."
The officer handcuffed him and put in the police car. "I'm just mouthing off like an idiot, like an actual child. I'm like, 'Man, someone's going to get a hold of you guys. Why are you using your authority like this? This is so wrong.' When, in reality, they’re just doing their jobs."
Bryan says he spent "a few hours" in jail and that he and the officer who arrested him "eventually shook hands."
"The night ended OK," the singer adds. "I have to deal with the legalities of it when I go back home."
The Tennessean reports that he was booked on an "obstruction of investigation" charge, according to the sheriff's office records, and had a mugshot taken. According to the publication, obstruction of investigation is a misdemeanor in Oklahoma and is defined as "willfully delaying or obstructing any public officer in the discharge or attempt to discharge any duty of his office."
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He apologized for being "out of line."
In addition to from posting the five-minute video, Bryan also posted an apology on social media.
"Today I had an incident with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol," he tweeted. "Emotions got the best of me and I was out of line in the things I said. I support law enforcement as much as anyone can, I was just frustrated in the moment, it was unlike me and I apologize. They brought me to jail, and there is a mug shot of me floating around. Prayers we can all move on from this and prayers people know I’m just trying the best I can, I love you guys and I am truly sorry to the officers."
In his video, he also acknowledges fans who have been speaking out on his behalf. "Thanks for defending me online and stuff," he says. "I don’t really need it. I just shouldn't have did what I did."
Later, he posted that he was still on his road trip: "STILL [expletive] HIGHWAYING ACROSS THE COUNTRY OL SONS LETS GOOOO."
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