Some unsavory details about Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer’s arrest have emerged.
According to a police report obtained by ESPN.com, Dwyer allegedly head-butted his wife, breaking her nose, and later punched her in the face, and also hit his 1-year-old son in the stomach with a shoe over a two-day span in July. The boy reportedly wasn’t injured.
Dwyer, who was arrested Wednesday on aggravated assault charges and released on $25,000 bond the following day, told police he did not assault his wife but did punch a wall and throw a phone during the argument.
Dwyer, 25, was charged with one count of aggravated assault causing a fracture, one count of aggravated assault involving a minor, two counts of criminal damage, one count of preventing the use of a phone in an emergency, and assault, according to the police report. His first hearing is set for Sept. 24.
Upon learning of the charges Wednesday, the Cardinals deactivated the fifth-year pro, who’s in his first season in Arizona.
“Given the serious nature of the allegations, we have taken the immediate step to deactivate Jonathan from all team activities,” the Cardinals said in a statement. “We will continue to closely monitor this as it develops and evaluate additional information as it becomes available.”
UPDATE (3:53 p.m.): The Cardinals have placed Dwyer on the reserve/non-football injury list, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported. The team reportedly is concerned about Dwyer’s mental state after mentions in a police report that he threatened to kill himself.
The Cardinals also are in the process of releasing running back Chris Rainey from the practice squad, according to Rapoport, because of the player’s “history of domestic violence.”
Photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
