Alabama Shakes drummer arrested over child abuse charges

Alabama Shakes drummer Steven William Johnson has been arrested on multiple child abuse charges, Huntsville, AL's WHNT reports. On Wednesday (3/24), a Limestone County, AL Grand Jury indicted him on charges of "willful torture, willful abuse, and cruelly beating or otherwise willfully maltreating a child under the age of 18." He was brought to Limestone County Jail, where his bond is set at $21,500, and his arraignment is scheduled for April 7.

In 2019, Johnson was arrested for violating a protection from abuse order, issued after his ex-wife accused him of breaking into her home, choking, injuring, and stalking her. He pled guilty to violating the protection order in March of 2020, WHNT reports.

Alabama Shakes, which Johnson is a founding member of, having played on both 2012's Boys & Girls and 2015's Sound & Color, have not currently commented on the arrest. The band has been on hiatus since 2018.