Josh Hamilton has voluntarily surrendered to police in Texas after being accused of injuring one of his three daughters in September
Retired Major League All-Star Josh Hamilton has voluntarily surrendered to police in Texas after being accused of injuring one of his three daughters in September by throwing a chair into her legs and hitting her with a closed fist.
According to Dallas’ CBS affiliate, the 38-year-old Hamilton, a former member of the Texas Rangers, turned himself in the afternoon and was released on a $35,000 bond, stipulating he’s not to have any contact with his accuser. Later, according to CBS 11, that stipulation was expanded to include any child under 17.
According to a police affidavit, Hamilton’s daughter told Keller police that he went on a rampage on September 30. She says she made a comment to Hamilton that upset him, so he threw a full water bottle overhand at her, hitting her in the chest, then began cursing and shouting at her.
She says she apologized, but Hamilton still threw her over his shoulder, carried her to her room, dumped her on her bed, pressed her head against the mattress and hit her legs, leaving scratches from his fingernails. At one point, she claimed, he lifted her by her sweatshirt, causing it to rip.
According to the arrest affidavit, she said Hamilton hit her with both an open hand and closed fist.
Finally, according to the affidavit, Hamilton allegedly told her: ‘I hope you go in front of the f***ing judge and tell him what a terrible dad I am so I don’t have to see you anymore and you don’t ever have to come to my house again.’
His attorney released a statement denying the charges: ‘Josh Hamilton voluntarily surrendered himself to Tarrant County authorities today. Mr. Hamilton is innocent of the charge against him and looks forward to clearing his name in court.’
A Tarrant County Courthouse spokesperson did not immediately respond to the Daily Mail’s request for confirmation.
Hamilton has three daughters with his now-former wife Katie Chadwick. According to The Dallas Morning News, the two divorced in 2015 after Hamilton, who has publicly battled drug and alcohol problems, suffered a relapse.
The Morning News reported Wednesday that Chadwick previously sought a protective order against Hamilton on behalf of one of their three daughters.
According to Dallas’ CBS affiliate , the 38-year-old Hamilton, a former member of the Texas Rangers, turned himself in the afternoon and was released on a $35,000 bond, stipulating he’s not to have any contact with his accuser. Later, according to CBS 11, that stipulation was expanded to include any child under 17
His attorney released a statement denying the charges: ‘Josh Hamilton voluntarily surrendered himself to Tarrant County authorities today. Mr. Hamilton is innocent of the charge against him and looks forward to clearing his name in court’
The Texas Rangers, for whom Hamilton played five seasons, released a statement on Wednesday: ‘The Texas Rangers take the issue of family violence very seriously. We are aware of the situation involving Josh Hamilton. Since this is an ongoing legal matter, we have no further comment.’
Hamilton’s baseball career included five All-Star selections, but was also known for his problems with addiction.
Hamilton was named the American League’s MVP in 2010 while he played for the Rangers
After being drafted with the first-overall pick of the 1999 MLB Draft, Hamilton struggled in the minors, was sent to the Betty Ford Center for drug rehabilitation, and ultimately failed several drug tests before being suspended by the team.
But after three years away from the game, Hamilton finally made his Major League debut with the Cincinnati Reds in 2007, finishing the year with an impressive 19 home runs and a .292 batting average.
Things really took off for Hamilton the following season after he signed in Texas, where he was later named the American League’s MVP in 2010. He also played two seasons with the Anaheim Angels before returning to Texas for his final season in 2015.
He also suffered drug and alcohol relapses that season, according to multiple reports.
‘I hope that people saw me as just… a real person, a human being, with his struggles and his challenges like everyone else,’ Hamilton wrote in an open letter, before being inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame. ‘I wasn’t trying to pretend that I was Superman, or like I was above anybody and could do no wrong. I was just trying to do the best I could and to be honest about what I was going through.’
Hamilton, who battled drug and alcohol problems during his career, was ultimately inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame. ‘I hope that people saw me as just… a real person, a human being, with his struggles and his challenges like everyone else,’ Hamilton wrote in an open letter before his induction. ‘I wasn’t trying to pretend that I was Superman, or like I was above anybody and could do no wrong. I was just trying to do the best I could and to be honest about what I was going through’