Source: theboot.com
John Rich turned himself into police Thursday to face misdemeanor charges of assault and harassment filed by former 'Nashville Star' contestant Jared Ashley.
The feud between the two singers has been brewing for years. Rich once accused Ashley of breaking into his Nashville home -- a claim Ashley vehemently denies. In April, Rich sued Ashley for defamation, saying the aspiring country singer falsely claimed during a radio interview that Rich hit him in the face. The country mogul says what really happened was that Ashley was in The Spot, Rich's private Nashville club, without permission and had to be removed by security.
Just one day after the incident at The Spot, Ashley posted a YouTube video of his performance at a downtown Nashville honkeytonk, during which Rich gets up on stage and interrupts Ashley. The two exchange what appears to be heated words before Rich is escorted out of the bar.
Rich released a statement through his lawyers, explaining that he turned himself in because he'd rather defend himself "through the legal process to the fullest extent of the law," rather than try to settle with Ashley.
"I trust that the truth will come out through the process of our American justice system, and that I will be completely exonerated at the end of the day," Rich writes.
The country mogul was released Thursday on $3,000 bond.
