CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS/CHARLOTTE SPORTS LIVE) — A criminal summons was issued Wednesday for Hornets forward Miles Bridges, tied to allegations he violated a domestic violence protective order, according to Mecklenburg County Court records.
The order involves the mother of his children, and he’s also facing charges of misdemeanor child abuse and misdemeanor injury to personal property.
“We are aware of the reports and are in the process of gathering more information,” the Charlotte Hornets said in a statement sent to the media.
The criminal summons are tied to an incident that occurred at 8:42 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6, and a Mecklenburg County arrest warrant that was issued in January that has not been served. A Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson tells QCN that when warrants aren’t served, deputies are unable to make contact with the individual.
The criminal summons, filed this week, states that on Friday, Bridges “unlawfully and willfully did knowingly violate a valid protective order” issued on May 11.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said the victim reached out on Tuesday, Oct. 10, and reported the Friday incident that happened in the 2500 block of Springs Drive in south Charlotte.
It states during a custody exchange, Bridges allegedly threw pool table balls at the victim’s vehicle, smashing the windshield and denting the car. The summons also states Bridges threatened the victim, stating that ‘if she told the police, he would take everything from her and withhold child support.’
The criminal summons issued this week states that Bridges threw the pool table balls at the vehicle while the children were inside the car. It states the vehicle window was smashed, and Bridges’ current girlfriend was screaming and kicking the victim’s vehicle while the children were inside it, leading to the misdemeanor charge of child abuse.
Damage done to the victim’s vehicle was in excess of $200, leading to the misdemeanor charge of injury to personal property.
The Hornets say they learned of the summons and warrants on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old forward was suspended for 30 games without pay by the NBA after a domestic violence incident in Los Angeles on June 27, 2022, after Bridges was arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including child abuse. He never played last season and has a 10-game suspension to start the 2023-24 campaign.
Queen City News Anchor Robin Kanady went by Bridges’ house in Charlotte Thursday afternoon.
“I’m sorry, but we don’t have any information to give you,” a person who said he was not Bridges told Kanady through the doorbell camera.
Kanady also reached out to Sodoma Law, the attorneys representing Bridges’ ex-girlfriend. They declined comment.
Bridges, who signed a one-year, $7.9 million offer from the Hornets over the offseason, said he wanted to apologize for the “pain and embarrassment” he caused.
During a Charlotte press conference in July, he elaborated on his gratefulness for a second chance.
“A lot of people don’t get a second chance, so I wanna use this to prove I’m the same kid they drafted five years ago,” Bridges said.
As part of the California plea deal, Bridges will undergo counseling, perform 100 hours of community service, and remain on probation for three years.
“Without going into detail, we investigated to best of our ability with legal counsel and gathering info to us,” said Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak. “That’s all I’m prepared to say about that.”
