Once again, George Zimmerman is having some legal trouble. The 31-year-old best known for shooting 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was arrested on Friday night for throwing a wine bottle at his girlfriend in his Lake Mary, Florida, home. He’s been charged with aggravated assault.
The details of the incident are scarce, but NBC affiliate WESH reports that the alleged bottle-hurling took place sometime earlier this week. Before releasing Zimmerman on $5,000 bond, a judge ordered him to not contact the unnamed woman and to avoid the county where she lives. (He was also told to have his lawyer return any stuff she might have left at his place.) The Associated Press also reports: “Although the incident didn’t involve a firearm, the judge ordered Zimmerman to surrender any weapons out of an abundance of caution.” Never a bad idea, especially with this guy.
This is the third time that Zimmerman has been accused of domestic violence: In September 2013, he was arrested for smashing his ex-wife’s iPad and threatening her father, though no charges were filed after Shellie Zimmerman refused to cooperate with the investigation. Just a few months later, the police took him into custody for pointing a gun at then-girlfriend Samantha Scheibe, pushing her, and smashing a table. Perhaps not coincidentally, Scheibe also declined to help prosecutors pursue the case, which was then dropped.
Zimmerman’s latest flip-out will likely give everyone a chance to hear about what he’s up to these days. Is he still working as unpaid security at that guns and motorcycle shop? Still speeding? What ever happened to the reality-show idea? Stay tuned for answers when he returns to court on February 17.
