(USNewsMag.com) – Actor Zachery Ty Bryan is speaking out regarding his 2020 arrest, saying the situation was “blown out of proportion.”
The 2020 incident involved the “Home Improvement” star and his secret girlfriend at the time, Johnnie Faye Cartwright. The two had been together for two years at the time, during which time Bryan was also married.
In October 2020, Bryan was arrested for what he now says is an incident that involved the couple being “really loud” more than “that physical.” He said Cartwright was upset with him about his situation.
At the time of the incident, Bryan told police that he was attacked by Cartwright, who was trying to “ruin his career.” The police report said Bryan took Cartwright’s phone to prevent her from calling 911 and “impeded her breathing,”
He pleaded guilty to the charges of fourth-degree assault and menacing, after police dropped the charges of felony strangulation, coercion, harassment and interference with making a police report.
Bryan now refers to the incident as a “wake-up call,” saying it was a “learning experience.” The incident promoted Bryan, who over the years had many DUI arrests, to begin taking classes in self-management and recovery training (SMART). First arrested for DUI in 2004, a 22-year-old Bryan led what he says was a lifestyle where he would just go to nightclubs, and be let in because he was the kid from ‘Home Improvement.'” He was subsequently arrested for DUI in 2007, 2017 as well as before the incident in 2020. Although he began drinking at 14 years old, Bryan said he now leads a sober lifestyle.
Cartwright and Bryan have gone on to have three children since the incident and are still together. Bryan, who is still best known for his role on “Home Improvement” as Brad Taylor, now works behind the scenes as a producer. The show ran for eight seasons and had 203 episodes.
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