Carolina Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy has been arrested on charges of domestic violence, according to WSOC-TV in Charlotte. Hardy was involved in an altercation with his girlfriend and was subsequently charged by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department with misdemeanors for communicating threats and assault on a female, according to the Charlotte Observer.
Greg Hardy arrested on domestic violence charge
An All-Pro defensive end, Hardy was charged with a misdemeanor by local police.
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James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
Police responded to a call shortly after 4 a.m. on Tuesday. The call was made by the woman, the alleged victim, who said that Hardy had physically assaulted and threatened her, the Observer reports, via the incident report. The report goes on to state that she suffered minor injuries (bruises and scratches), refused treatment, and that the victim had been drinking alcohol.
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Hardy was denied bond, which is typical in domestic violence cases for the first day, according to the Observer. The Panthers released a brief statement on the situation, which you can find below:
“We are very disappointed to learn of the allegations involving Greg and are concerned for all parties as we continue to investigate.”
The Pro Bowl defensive end has been with the Panthers since being drafted in 2010. Carolina expressed interest to retain Hardy long term, but the sides were unable to reach an agreement prior to free agency and he will play under the franchise tag in 2014. It’s unclear what the organization’s plans are for Hardy moving forward after the Panthers selected rookie pass rusher Kony Ealy with a second-round pick in the draft.
Hardy’s arrest represents the first major off-field altercation the team has had since general manager Dave Gettleman took over in 2013. The veteran NFL talent evaluator has preached a desire to fill the team with “high-character players,” but it’s likely the team won’t make any decisions until it has more information.
This is the second blemish to the Panthers defensive line this offseason with rotational defensive end Frank Alexander being suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
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