LAPD: Hornets’ Bridges charged with felony domestic violence
By STEVE REED
AP Sports Writer
Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges has been charged with felony domestic violence stemming from an incident earlier this week, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed Friday.
The LAPD posted on Twitter that Bridges was arrested for “intimate partner violence with injury,” a felony, on Wednesday following an incident two days earlier in West Los Angeles.
He was released on $130,000 bond and has a July 20 court date. The LAPD said it does not release police reports on domestic violence arrests.
Mychelle Johnson, the mother of Bridges’ two young children, addressed the incident on Instagram Friday, posting several pictures of injuries and a medical report that read “adult victim of physical abuse by male partner; Assault by strangulation, Brain concussion; Closed fracture of nasal bone; Contusion of rib; Multiple bruises; Strain of neck muscle.”
“I hate that it has come to this but I can’t be silent anymore. I’ve allowed someone to destroy my home, abuse me in every way possible and traumatize our kids for life,” Johnson wrote on Instagram. “I have nothing to prove to the world, but I won’t allow anyone who could do something so horrible to have no remorse and paint a picture of something I’m not. I won’t allow the people around him to continue to silence me and continue to lie to protect this person.”
Bridges’ agent, Rich Paul, has not returned phone calls to The Associated Press and it was unclear whether he has an attorney. Attempts to reach Johnson also were unsuccessful and AP could not locate an attorney of record for her.
The 24-year-old Bridges is a restricted free agent who is expected to command big money in the free agent market this summer following a breakout season.
The 6-foot-7, 225-pound Bridges was the Hornets’ leading scorer last season, averaging 20.2 points and seven rebounds in his fourth NBA season.
The Hornets extended Bridges a qualifying offer earlier this week, allowing them a chance to match any offer sheet made by another team. The team indicated earlier this week — prior to knowledge of Bridges’ arrest — that it wanted to re-sign him.
The Hornets released a statement on Thursday, indicating they are looking into the incident. NBA spokesman Mike Bass said “we are in the process of gathering more information.”
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