Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer has been formally charged with aggravated assault and eight misdemeanors, per an Associated Press report.
Jonathan Dwyer charged with aggravated assault, 8 misdemeanors
The Cardinals running back was formally charged after allegedly head-butting his wife, punching her the next day, and throwing a shoe at his son.
Christian Petersen
The events date back to July 21, when Dwyer reportedly head-butted his wife in the face after she refused his sexual advance. The following day, on July 22, he allegedly punched her in the head and threw a shoe at their 1-year-old son.
Aggravated assault is a felony charge, while the misdemeanors include disorderly conduct and criminal damage. A status conference is scheduled for Oct. 6, a conference used by judges to create a time-frame for all pre-trial activities as well as a potential trial date.
The Cardinals have placed Dwyer on the Reserve/Non Football Illness list, and Dwyer has not played a single down since his arrest. Head coach Bruce Arians spoke out about Dwyer, saying jail time is needed if Dwyer is guilty:
Bruce Arians: "If someone touches a woman or a child, in my opinion, they need to go to jail for a long, long time."
— Tyler Lockman (@TylerLockman) September 18, 2014 Dwyer’s case surfaced at a time when the NFL was already dealing with multiple issues of domestic violence. Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice has been suspended indefinitely from the NFL after assaulting his then-fiancee Janay Palmer. In addition, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has been charged with child abuse after whipping his son with a stick.
Dwyer is a veteran running back in his fifth NFL season and first with the Cardinals. He played his first four seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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