American Idol alum Haley Reinhart was arrested after allegedly punching a bouncer outside a suburban Chicago bar on the weekend, according to multiple reports.
Reinhart was taken into custody and booked for battery after an early hours altercation Saturday at the Lamplighter Inn in Palatine, a suburb of Chicago.
Cops were called after Reinhart and a group of guests were asked to leave the bar, then allegedly overturning a table. During an argument with staff, Reinhart, a local resident, is said to have punched a bouncer in the head. A court date is scheduled for Aug. 2.
The singer’s attorney Dina LaPolt told TMZ and others her client was assaulted without provocation, and legal action will ensue. LaPolt added, “After forcefully removing Ms. Reinhart they violently beat her friend, who sustained multiple injuries. We believe that she will be exonerated of all charges once the investigation is completed.”
The singer, songwriter and regular Postmodern Jukebox collaborator enjoyed a golden run on season 10 of American Idol, coming third behind runner-up Lauren Alaina and winner Scotty McCreery. Her debut album Listen Up! cracked the top 20 of the Billboard 200 in May 2012 (peaking at No.17), and her cover of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” has been certified gold by the RIAA for shifting more than 500,000 copies.
Reinhart released the Better EP in 2016, and on Sept. 22, Concord Music Group will issue her next album What’s That Sound, a collection of classic ’60s covers and three original songs.