Sanger police arrested country music star Randy Travis early Monday on a charge of public intoxication.
Denton County Jail records show that Travis, 52, was brought to the jail by a Sanger officer at about 1:30 a.m. and was released on a Class C misdemeanor citation. Randy Travis
Jail information shows his address as Blanks Road in Tioga.
Sanger Police Chief Curtis Amyx said an officer on patrol in the 700 block of Fifth Street noticed a suspicious vehicle in the First Baptist Church parking lot. He investigated, according to a police report, and found Travis behind the wheel of a parked 1998 Pontiac smelling strongly of alcohol. There was a wine bottle in the passenger seat, the report states.
Travis told the officer he had argued with his girlfriend and was trying to get home, according to the report. He appeared to believe he was in Tioga. He asked the officer to take him home.
The report stated that Travis spoke with slurred speech and stumbled when he got out of the car. He could not locate his driver's license. He was taken into custody and transported to county jail.
Denton County sheriff's spokesman Tom Reedy said officers must put in jail intoxicated people who might harm themselves or someone else and keep them at least four hours for their own protection.
"The law states that you must bring a person arrested on public intoxication to jail," Reedy said. "He was later released on a citation."
Travis' vehicle was towed from the lot, and he called someone for transportation.
In a statement to The Associated Press, Travis apologized "for what resulted following an evening of celebrating the Super Bowl."
Travis, who launches a concert tour Friday, says he's "committed to being responsible and accountable."
According to his official website, Travis is celebrating his 25th anniversary in country music this year with a national tour with such luminaries as Willie Nelson, Tim McGraw and Carrie Underwood.
Travis has had 16 No. 1 single hits, including "Forever and Ever, Amen," "If I Didn't Have You," "On the Other Hand" and "Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart."
DONNA FIELDER can be reached at 940-566-6885. Her e-mail address is dfielder@dentonrc.com .
