American musician and singer, Joe Don Rooney, who is the lead guitarist of country music group Rascal Flatts, was arrested on Thursday on a DUI (driving under the influence) charge after his vehicle collided with a line of trees outside Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. In a statement via email, Williamson County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Sharon Puckett said that a deputy had responded to the scene in Franklin, Tennessee, after 4 a.m. She stated that a "driver crashed into a tree line" and was arrested shortly after. The driver was identified as Rooney, who was uninjured, and was released after being booked into the Williamson County Jail by posting a $2,500 bond. 

Founded in 1999 by Rooney, Gary LeVox and Jay DeMarcus, Rascal Flatts has been nominated for the Grammy Awards on four occasions. The group, which also has twelve No. 1 country hits to their credits, announced last year that it was disbanding. A farewell tour was planned initially last year, with the pandemic eventually playing spoilsport to the proceedings that would have marked the end for the group. Rascal Flatts was awarded the Cliffie Stone Icon Award from the Academy of Country Music a few weeks back, with Rooney doing the honors with former bandmate Jay DeMarcus in accepting the accolade as Gary LeVox was absent. At the ceremony last month, DeMarcus stated that he was "unemployed" saying, "I've got a specific skill set. I can sit on a bus for seven to nine hours straight in an empty parking lot. I can shake hands and pose for pictures with up to 80 people a night." He added, "I can play the same 28 songs in a row while remembering all the changes in all the lyrics, remembering where to stand and when I'm supposed to speak, whenever you need me to."