Lane County Jail / Getty Zachery Ty Bryan in his booking photo (left) and at the 2013 premiere of 'Dark Tourist' (right)
Zachery Ty Bryan, known to many as Brad Taylor from Home Improvement, was arrested in Eugene, Oregon, on Friday night after being accused of choking his girlfriend. The 39-year-old Bryan, who appeared as Tim Allen’s oldest boy on the popular ABC sitcom from 1991 to 1999, is facing charges of strangulation, fourth-degree assault and interfering with making a report, according to public records.
The Eugene Police Department told Heavy in an emailed statement that on Friday night, at 10:24 p.m., officers were called to a residence after neighbors reported a physical dispute. When officers arrived on the scene, they found Bryan sitting outside the apartment and the 27-year-old victim at a friend’s apartment nearby.
According to the police’s statement, “An investigation found that during the dispute Bryan is reported to have assaulted the victim, impeded her breathing, and taken the victim’s phone from her when she tried to call 911. The two have been in a relationship.” Police told Heavy that the victim declined medical assistance and Bryan “was taken into custody without incident.”
Bryan was released on bail, according to TMZ, and has been issued a no-contact order to stay away from the victim. Lane County pretrial services supervisor Brian Snaza told the outlet that Bryan is scheduled for a court appearance on October 23 and the District Attorney’s office is still considering whether to charge the former actor.
Bryan, Who Had Announced His Separation From His Wife of 14 Years 2 Weeks Ago, Was Booked Into Lane County Jail Early on Saturday Morning
According to public records, Bryan is in Lane County Jail, where he was booked just past 1 a.m. on Saturday morning. He is facing three charges, including strangulation, which is considered a felony in domestic violence cases, according to the Register-Guard. His other two charges, fourth-degree assault and interfering with making a report, are both misdemeanors.
There is no information yet on his next court appearance.
Bryan and his wife, Carly Matros, separated just weeks ago after 14 years and 4 children together. The victim in last night’s incident is believed to be Bryan’s girlfriend and not Matros, as his former partner lives in California. On October 1, Bryan posted on Instagram, “Almost Fourteen years as best friends, soulmates, partners and then parents. It has been an incredible journey, but together, we’ve decided to turn the page and move on from our marriage.”
On Friday night, shortly before the incident, Bryan posted a photo of himself at a club with four women, along with the caption: “Good night.”
Bryan Became Known for His Role as Brad on ‘Home Improvement’ & Appeared in a Few Films Before Quitting Acting
Bryan was cast as Brad Taylor on Home Improvement during the 1990s and his character was known for getting into trouble. Bryan also appeared in small roles in other TV shows like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Veronica Mars and Smallville. He also appeared in a few movies like 2006’s The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and The Game of Their Lives, according to his IMDB profile.
He quit acting in 2009, telling Fox News a few years later, “I don’t miss acting at all. It’s my roots, so I will always be open to it, but I always knew that some day I would end working behind-the-scenes.” Bryan transitioned from being an actor to producing films of his own, founding Lost Lane Entertainment.
According to his bio on his production company website, “Sundance was a special moment for his film, THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER, winning best director and getting rave reviews for Maggie Gyllenhaal’s performance and selling to Netflix.” His latest projects are Finding 52, a documentary, and Heavy, a revenge thriller starring Sophie Turner.
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