Embattled pop star Britney Spears' nuptials to long-term partner Sam Asghari were interrupted by her ex-husband on Thursday (local time), with her former flame crashing the wedding.
Officials confirmed to Fox News that Jason Alexander, who himself was married to Spears for all of 55 hours in 2004, was arrested for several charges - including two counts of misdemeanour battery, one count of misdemeanour vandalism and one count of misdemeanour trespassing, in addition to an out of county warrant.
An altercation reportedly broke out between Alexander and Spears' security after he sneaked onto the property and, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Department, allegedly broke an item valued under US$400.
As of Thursday evening (local time), Alexander, 40, remained in custody. The case has reportedly been submitted to the district attorney.
The 40-year-old had reportedly been filming a livestream on Instagram when he approached Spears' home and was intercepted by security officials. Outlets who watched the footage said a guard could be heard saying, "You've got to leave", with Alexander responding: "Don't put your hands on me. Please don't put your hands on me... Hey, where's Britney?"
Alexander then walked outside of the home and into a tent where the star's crew were installing roses at the altar.
"I'm her first husband. I'm here to crash her wedding," he said. TMZ obtained an image of the incident.
The Sheriff's Department confirmed to Fox News that deputies were called to Spears' residence at 2pm in response to a "trespassing". It was there that authorities discovered Alexander had an outstanding felony warrant for his arrest.
"Britney is shaken but doesn't want to let this get her down," a source told Page Six. "Everyone is thankfully safe, and Jason is no longer on the property."
The wedding marks Spears' third marriage: she first tied the knot with childhood sweetheart Alexander in January 2004 during a ceremony at A Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Their marriage was annulled less than three days later, which Alexander claimed was enforced by Spears' mother, Lynne, and her management.
Ten months later, Britney married dancer Kevin Federline, the father of her two children - but their divorce was finalised less than three years later in 2007.
It's understood Spears' wedding to Asghari, her partner of six years, was a star-studded affair with the likes of Madonna, Paris Hilton, Selena Gomez, Kate Hudson and Gwyneth Paltrow reportedly in attendance.
The nuptials were held at her home in the Thousand Oaks area of Los Angeles, with a huge outdoor venue erected near the tennis court of the Lake Sherwood mansion.
The pair announced their engagement via Instagram in September 2021.
Two months later, the 'Toxic' hitmaker was released from a legal conservatorship that allowed her father to control her personal life and finances for 13 years. During court proceedings, Spears said she longed to get married and start a new family without any restrictions in place.
Spears announced in April that she and Asghari were expecting a baby, but a month later, revealed she had suffered a miscarriage.
Iranian-born Asghari, 28, is a personal trainer and actor who has appeared on the television series Black Monday.
