‘American Idol’ Star Colin Stough Charged With DUI & Drinking While Underaged

Martin Holmes March 3, 2025, 10:43 am

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American Idol alum Colin Stough has got himself into some legal trouble after allegedly crashing his car a few miles south of Nashville on Friday (February 28).

As reported by TMZ, the 20-year-old musician who appeared on Season 21 of the singing competition show in 2023 was arrested and charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI), underage consumption of alcohol, and failure to exercise due care.

Authorities told the outlet that highway patrol officers found Stough after responding to a single-vehicle crash on the I-840 freeway heading eastbound in Tennessee’s Williamson County, a few miles south of Nashville. The singer was taken to the hospital, though no injuries have been disclosed.

He was later booked at the Williamson County Jail, but TMZ reports he has since bailed out.

While the singer hasn’t directly commented on the incident, he did share a video on Instagram on Friday, the same day as the arrest. The clip showed him walking in a forest while singing one of his songs. “I’m not perfect and will never claim to be. But I will admit when I’m wrong and that’s a fact,” he wrote over the video.

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A post shared by Colin Stough (@colinstough)

Fans commented on the clip, with one commenter writing, “First of all, I’m a big fan. Secondly, please learn from this because it could have been a devastating lesson. Thank God you didn’t hurt yourself, but much more importantly, you didn’t hurt anyone one else. Count this as a blessing, young man. Keep sharing your gift with the world.”

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“Noone is perfect. We all mess up sometimes. I still have mad love for you!! Keep on keeping on Colin!!!” said another.

“Things happen to us for a reason. Learning from your mistakes will make you stronger. Plus it probably embarrasses you and your family,” another added.

Another wrote, “Another great one, Colin. But you know that a bottle can take it ALL away. Please don’t let that happen. You’re too good for that.”

Stough appeared on Season 21 of American Idol, where he quickly became a fan favorite with memorable performances, including his renditions of “Midnight Train to Memphis” by The Steeldrivers, “It’s Been Awhile” by Staind, “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd, and “Dancing On My Own” by Robyn.

He ultimately finished in third place, behind runner-up Megan Danielle and winner Iam Tongi.