Arizona Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington was sentenced today to a year of supervised probation for aggravated assault.
Washington, 27, was arrested in May after getting into a fight with the mother of his child. Washington was accused of choking the woman and breaking her collarbone after an argument at the woman's apartment in Phoenix.
See also:
-Daryl Washington Arrested, Accused of Choking Child's Mother
According to court documents, Washington had gone to Ciera MacDonald's apartment to see his child, and Washington apparently left with the baby, without telling MacDonald.
Washington came back a few minutes later and told MacDonald that he'd just gone to Dairy Queen, but that sparked the argument. As MacDonald tried to take back the baby, Washington "pushed Ciera away and would not allow Ciera to get close to him," according to the documents.
"At one point Daryl extended his hand and grabbed Ciera by the neck pushing her over the landing railing while choking her," a probable-cause statement says. "Ciera said she was unable to breathe and felt as if she was going to fall over the railing."
MacDonald didn't fall over the railing, but a nurse at a family-advocacy center found injuries on her neck "consistent with her version of events," according to the documents.Washington eventually let go of his grip, and MacDonald took back the baby.
MacDonald tried to close the apartment door behind her, but Washington pushed his way in, and followed MacDonald to her bedroom, the documents state.
At that point, Washington took MacDonald's cellphone and walked out, heading for his car. MacDonald chased him, throwing a "hand woven basket" with a plastic plant at Washington, which actually hit his car instead.
Washington tried to push and pull MacDonald out of the car, as she tried to get her phone, until she tried to run around the vehicle to get in another door. According to the documents, that's when Washington shoved her from behind, causing her to fall, and breaking her collarbone, and causing several cuts, scrapes, and bruises.
The documents indicated that Washington was involved in prior domestic-violence incidents with MacDonald, both reported to police and unreported.
Washington was suspended by the NFL for the first four games of last season, because of a violation of the league's substance-abuse policy. Now he'll possibly be disciplined by the league as a result of his guilty plea and sentencing on the aggravated-assault charge, but nothing's been announced by the league at this point.
In his 12 games in the 2013 season, Washington recorded 75 tackles, two interceptions, and three sacks.
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