Tre Hargett, Tennessee’s secretary of state, was arrested Friday night on a driving under the influence charge after leaving the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, authorities said.
Hargett, 53, said he was arrested by the Tullahoma Police Department and booked into the Coffee County Jail, WHBQ-TV reported. According to jail records, he was released on Saturday at about 5 a.m. CDT after posting bail of $2,000, The Tennessean reported.
Hargett’s office released a statement about the arrest Saturday morning.
“On Friday night after leaving the Bonnaroo Music Festival, I was stopped by the Tullahoma Police Department and subsequently arrested for DUI,” the statement said. “Driving Under the Influence is a serious matter, and I regret the circumstances that led to my arrest. I respect law enforcement and will trust the legal process as we move forward.”
Hargett, a Republican, served a decade in the General Assembly before overseeing the Tennessee Regulatory Authority, according to The Tennessean. He was first appointed as secretary of state in 2009 and was reelected in 2013, 2017, and 2021, WHBQ reported.
The Bonnaroo festival is an annual event held in Manchester, Tennessee. The three-day festival ends Sunday.
Hargett is expected to appear in court on July 14, WKRN-TV reported.