Singer Kata Hay, who previously appeared on season 10 of The Voice, is now facing serious criminal charges tied to a deadly crash in Tennessee.
Hay, whose real name is Kata Huddleston, was arrested early Wednesday morning on December 17 in Oklahoma, according to the Goodlettsville Police Department. Authorities had been searching for her following a fatal crash on Long Hollow Pike near Interstate 65.
The day before her arrest, police released a photo of Hay on social media and asked the public for help locating her. Investigators said they believed she was traveling toward Oklahoma with a white male and may have been towing a large camper.
Hay, 38, is currently being held at the Osage County Jail in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Reports indicate she is scheduled to appear before a judge on December 22 to sign a waiver allowing her extradition back to Davidson County, Tennessee.
In Tennessee, Hay is charged with vehicular homicide, a Class B felony that carries a possible sentence of eight to 30 years in prison and fines of up to $25,000. She is also facing multiple additional charges connected to a December 10 incident, including a second DUI offense, leaving the scene of an accident involving more than $1,500 in property damage, and driving with an open container of alcohol.
This is not Hay’s first encounter with the criminal justice system. In 2022, she was arrested in Sumner County, Tennessee, and later pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual contact involving a minor. She was sentenced to six months in jail in that case.
Hay rose to national attention in 2016 when she competed on The Voice, turning three judges’ chairs during her Blind Audition with a performance of “Redneck Woman.” She joined Christina Aguilera’s team and advanced to the Top 20 before being eliminated during the live playoff rounds.
The case remains ongoing as Hay awaits extradition back to Tennessee to face the charges against her.