Nashville Man Arrested, Charged With Stalking John Rich

A Nashville man was arrested and charged with aggravated stalking on Sunday (23), after Big & Rich singer John Rich alleged he had repeatedly violated restraining orders.

36-year-old Mark Sevier is an attorney in Brentwood, an upscale Nashville suburb. According to Fox 17 in Nashville, Rich obtained multiple restraining orders against him in 2012, but has been growing more and more concerned for the safety of his family after Sevier reportedly sent him emails and a picture of a man depicting Rich wearing scant clothing, with an American flag draped over his body, covered in what appeared to be blood.

Rich contacted Nashville Metro Police and provided evidence of Sevier's continuing harassment, which reportedly specifically mentioned Rich's infant sons. Sevier was booked into the Nashville jail and released on a $4,000 bond.

The trouble between the two men goes back to a copyright infringement lawsuit Sevier brought against Rich's corporate entities, disputing ownership of two songs Sevier wrote with an artist named Shanna Crooks. That case was decided in Sevier's favor, but then overturned in 2011 on appeal due to "abuse of discretion," Taste of Country reports. He is currently in disability inactive status after the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled that he can't practice law due to mental illness.

Sevier is scheduled to appear in court on July 29.