Arizona Cardinals' Jonathan Dwyer Broke Wife's Nose with Head Butt, Police Report States

Jonathan Dwyer, 25, is the latest football player arrested

ByABC News
September 18, 2014, 4:51 PM

— -- An Arizona Cardinal running back who was benched by the NFL allegedly broke his wife's nose with a head-butt and threw a shoe at their toddler son, according to a police report released today.

Jonathan Dwyer is the fourth NFL player in the past two weeks to be taken off the field as a result of legal actions surrounding alleged domestic abuse.

Dwyer, 25, was arrested Wednesday after being interviewed by Phoenix police.

The police report states that the alleged victim told officers there had been other incidents of violence by Dwyer that she had not reported to authorities.

Dwyer has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault, one count of assault, two counts of criminal damage and one count of preventing use of a phone in an emergency, all of which are connected to two alleged incidents on July 21 and 22.

He was freed on a $25,000 cash bond today and ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device. He also cannot have contact with the alleged victims, cannot travel outside of Arizona and cannot have involvement with weapons, drugs or alcohol.

The police report stated that Dwyer admitted to some of the his wife's accusations when talking with detectives, but denied physically assaulting the female and child.

The Associated Press reports that Dwyer's 27-year-old wife, who is not named in the police report, first called police last week to report the alleged July assault because, by that point, she had fled the state.

PHOTO: This Sept. 17, 2014 booking photo provided by the Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff's Office shows Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer.
This Sept. 17, 2014 booking photo provided by the Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff's Office shows Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer.

The police report states that the wife said an argument began on the morning of July 21 when Dwyer "attempted to kiss her and remove her clothing" even though she repeatedly told him to stop. She then bit his lip "to get away from him and stop his advances" and he allegedly responded by "head-butting her in the face, which she later learned had caused a nasal bone fracture."

A witness heard an argument and called police, who responded and spoke to the wife outside of her home, the report stated. The wife told police at that point that the witness had overheard a fight that she was having with someone over the telephone and that she and her son were the only ones in the residence at the time. She later told police that Dwyer was in hiding in the home at the time of that police visit.

"He had threatened to kill himself in front of their child if she alerted police to the assault, so she denied to the officers that he was present and that she had been assaulted," the police report states.

Once police left, she reportedly left the home with her son, only to receive a text from Dwyer that had a picture of a knife and a caption that "stated he did not want to live anymore," the report states.

Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer (20) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2014, in East Rutherford, N.J.
Arizona Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer (20) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2014, in East Rutherford, N.J.

The woman returned to the home the next day when a second assault allegedly took place about 4 p.m. on July 22. An argument became violent and Dwyer "punched his wife on the left side of her face with his right closed fist," the report states.

According to the police report, Dwyer punched walls, causing visible damage, and threw a shoe at their son's stomach. His wife then threatened to call police and Dwyer allegedly threw her cell phone out a second story window, which witnesses saw. They also heard her screaming "he f****** hit me; I'm calling the police" while holding her face and their 17-month-old child, the report states.

The witnesses helped her pack and flee the state, according to the report.

The police report states that she contacted the Phoenix police to alert them to the second incident once she felt safe. The timing coincided with intense scrutiny of other alleged domestic assaults by NFL players.

He has been deactivated by the Cardinals. Dwyer is due back in court for a status conference on Sept. 24 and a preliminary hearing on Sept. 26. ABC News' calls to his attorney and his agent were not immediately returned.