An attorney for Howie Day entered a not-guilty plea for the singer/songwriter in Dane County Circuit Court in Madison, Wisconsin, Thursday morning. The 23-year-old faces two misdemeanor charges stemming from an arrest last week.
Day is
charged with disorderly conduct and criminal damage to property, according to the court clerk. He was arrested on March 25 in Madison after police responded to a call made by two women aboard his tour bus who claim Day locked one of them in a bathroom and smashed the other's cell phone. Day allegedly grew angry when one of the women rejected his sexual advances (see "Howie Day Arrested For Allegedly Locking Fan In Bus Bathroom").
A pretrial hearing is scheduled for April 29.
Police arrested Day on three charges, but one count of intimidation of a victim was dropped by prosecutors. If convicted, Day faces a maximum of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine on the disorderly conduct charge and nine months and a $10,000 fine for criminal damage to property.
The incident occurred while Day was on tour promoting his latest album, last year's Stop All the World Now. The trek continues through May 4 and includes an appearance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California, on May 1.
Day posted a message on his Web site Wednesday evening, apologizing to his fans and everyone involved in the incident and offering an explanation for his actions.
"Basically, a few people were on my tour bus after the show and things got a little out of hand, stupid things were said, feelings were hurt and a cell phone was damaged," Day wrote. "My lawyer tells me I will be given an opportunity to address these claims at the proper time, and, of course, I will do so.
"Unfortunately ... some wildly inaccurate and sensational stories seem to be circulating," the post continued. "I can assure you that there was never any improper physical contact, nor has any ever been alleged by anyone involved, and nobody was 'locked away in a bathroom.' "
This report is from MTV News.
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