Akon arrested, released in Georgia over Tesla warrant tied to suspended license

Grammy-nominated singer Akon, whose full name is Aliaune Damala Badara Akon Thiam, was arrested in Georgia over the weekend after police issued a warrant connected to a vehicle registered to him.

According to an incident report obtained by USA TODAY on November 12, authorities approached Akon on Friday (November 7), after the Chamblee Police Department received a wanted person alert for a white Tesla Cybertruck from the Roswell Police Department.

The Roswell Police Department noted in a separate investigation report that the vehicle's owner was flagged due to a suspended license.

Police locate Akon

Officers found the Tesla parked at Tint World, an automotive styling business, according to the Chamblee Police report. Upon arrival, police saw a man matching the description of the registered owner. License checks confirmed the individual was Akon, who was then informed of the warrant. Authorities noted the singer remained "calm" and told officers he was aware of the warrant, the news report stated.

Arrest and detention

During the arrest, Akon, 52, was searched by police; no weapons or contraband were found on his person, according to the Chamblee arrest report. He was later taken to the DeKalb County Jail, where he was released to on-duty detention officers. As per reports, he was released several hours after the arrest.

Background of incident

According to the Roswell Police Department, the warrant stems from a September 10 incident in which Akon’s Cybertruck was found stranded after its battery died. Officers contacted Akon and, upon checking the vehicle's information, discovered he had a suspended license.

No further charges have been reported.