Country singer Kata Hay — an Oklahoma native who made it to the Top 20 on The Voice back in 2016 — has been arrested on a vehicular homicide warrant.
The incident that led to her arrest took place in Davidson County, Tenn., but Hay fled to her home state, where she was brought in on a fugitive from justice charge.
TMZ confirms that Hay, whose real name is Kata Huddleston, was arrested on Wednesday (Dec. 17) near Pawhuska, Okla. and was taken to the Osage County Jail. She’ll go before a judge on Monday (Dec. 22) before being extradited back to Tennessee.
Why Was The Voice Alum Kata Hay Charged With Vehicular Homicide?
Per TMZ, the vehicular homicide warrant also charged Hay with leaving the scene of an accident with property damage estimated to be above $1500, and driving with an open container of alcohol.
Osage County Jail
No further information is available about Hay’s victim or victims, but the date of the incident is stated as Dec. 10. According to information posted on social media by the Goodlettsville Police Department, the vehicle crash took place on Long Hollow Pike near I-65.
Hay also currently has her second DUI case open in Tennessee’s Davidson County.
How Did The Voice Album Kata Hay Wind Up in Oklahoma Before Her Arrest?
After the alleged offense, the Goodlettsville Police Department put out a “Be on the Lookout” (BOLO) report that stated they had reason to think she was headed to Oklahoma.
A Facebook post from the police department shared a previous mugshot for Hay and said the department believed she might be on her way to Oklahoma, perhaps “traveling with a white male and quite possibly towing a large camper.”
That BOLO went out just one day before Hay was apprehended, and hours later, the department updated community members to say that she had been arrested “as a direct result” of the many tips that were called in.
Who is Kata Hay From The Voice?
Hay earned a three-chair turn when she auditioned with Gretchen Wilson‘s “Redneck Woman” back on Season 10 of The Voice (oddly enough, Blake Shelton was the one coach who didn’t turn for her.)
Kata Hay Christina Aguilera Kiss
Hay ultimately picked coach Christina Aguilera, and the two raised some eyebrows when they shared a quick kiss onscreen after Hay told Aguilera that she was her “first girl crush.”
Per WVLT, Hay also ran into some legal trouble in 2022 when she was arrested on charges of having sexual contact with an underage boy. That was the 16-year-old son of a friend Hay was reportedly staying with, and the boy’s mother reported that Hay kissed the boy and forced him to touch her inappropriately on multiple occasions.
Hay ultimately pleaded guilty and served several months in jail, according to TMZ.
The singer has also continued to release music here and there, though her country dreams have been stymied by her ongoing legal issues. Keep scrolling to read about some more alumni of The Voice, and what they’re doing today.
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