JR Smith arrested on family violence charge in Texas — SkimNews
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- JR Smith, 41, was arrested Monday in Texas by Royse City Police Department on a charge of assault causing 'bodily injury family violence' and booked into Hunt County Detention Center, with a $5,000 surety bond set Tuesday afternoon.
- Royse City police arrested Smith after spotting his license plate on Interstate 30 northeast of Dallas; he was driving with his brother, and the car was released to his brother after the arrest.
- Southlake police issued the warrant and called Smith's arrest part of an 'ongoing investigation,' declining to release further information; Smith will be arraigned in Tarrant County.
- In 2009, Smith was sentenced to 90 days in jail (60 suspended) and 500 hours of community service for reckless driving after a 2007 car accident killed a friend, expressing remorse in court: 'it's been unbearable to deal with. I'm deeply sorry.'
- Smith played 16 NBA seasons for the Hornets, Nuggets, Knicks, Cavaliers, and Lakers, won two championships, and was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2013; after his NBA career he played college golf at North Carolina A&T and graduated in May.
Why it matters: Smith faces a family violence assault charge carrying potential jail time beyond the $5,000 surety bond, and the case now moves to Tarrant County for arraignment. The arrest marks his second serious driving-related legal incident — a 2007 crash killed a friend and resulted in a 2009 jail sentence — a pattern that may weigh on prosecutorial and sentencing decisions in Texas.
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