Former NBA star JR Smith has been arrested in Texas on an assault charge, according to jail records.
As revealed on the Hunt County judicial website, Smith is charged with ‘assault caused bodily injury family violence.’ Smith, 41, remains in Hunt County Detention Center following his arrest on a warrant out of Southlake.
The arrest took place Monday afternoon when Royse City Police received an alert about a suspect traveling eastbound on Interstate 30. An officer observed the vehicle and checked the license plate before pulling over the suspect.
‘The wanted person was Earl Joseph [JR] Smith III and the charge was for Family Violence Assault Causing Bodily Injury,’ read Tuesday’s press release out of Royse City. ‘A traffic stop was conducted and the driver of the vehicle was identified as Earl Joseph Smith III. The warrant was confirmed and Mr. Smith was taken into custody.’
Royse City and Southlake are about an hour’s drive apart, depending on traffic in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. It’s unclear where Smith was driving when he was pulled over.
The Southlake (Texas) Police Department also released a press release, but did not reveal any additional information on the allegations against the New Jersey native.
Smith was with his brother at the time of his arrest and took possession of his car, according to the Royse City police press release. He does not currently have an attorney listed on the Hunt County website. Daily Mail has sought comment from his former player agency.
Ex-NBA star JR Smith has been arrested in Texas on an assault charge, according to records
The 41-year-old Smith is charged with ‘assault caused bodily injury family violence’
Smith (right) won two titles alongside LeBron James (left) – one with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and another with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 – before retiring and focusing on golf
The 16-year-old NBA veteran won two titles alongside LeBron James – one with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and another with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 – before retiring and briefly becoming a college golfer at North Carolina A&T State University. He graduated last spring with a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies.
Smith does have a non-violent criminal history that includes a conviction for reckless driving over a car accident that killed his friend. Smith would later serve 24 days in prison.
And in 2018, he ultimately paid $600 after throwing a fan’s cell phone into a Manhattan construction site.
Smith’s basketball career is largely remembered for his frequent run-ins with coaches and the league.
Not only was he fined twice for untying opponents’ shoes during a game, but he seemingly referenced gangs in 2009 Twitter post and in 2012 he was arrested for failing to appear in court after being cited for operating a motor-scooter without a valid license.
Smith of the North Carolina A&T Aggies greets playing partner Pedro Rabadan of the Elon Phoenix before the start of the Phoenix Invitational at Alamance Country Club in 2021
He also once threw a bowl of hot chicken tortilla soup on Cavs assistant coach Damon Jones in 2018.
Smith also raised eyebrows by going shirtless for several consecutive days while celebrating the Cavs’ 2016 title, prompting then-president Barack Obama to ask head coach Tyronn Lue to intervene.
‘Tell JR Smith to put on a shirt, though,’ Obama told Lue. ‘He can’t just be walking around without a shirt for the [inaudible].’
A former Sixth Man of the Year, Smith averaged 12.4 points a game for his career with the Charlotte Hornets, Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Cavs and Lakers.
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