American Football Pro Greg Hardy Arrested for Domestic Violence

Greg Hardy, American football defensive end for the Carolina Panthers, has been charged with domestic violence after police were called to his home on early Tuesday morning.  Hardy is accused of throwing his girlfriend, 24 year old Nicole Holder on the floor, throwing her onto a couch covered with shotguns and other weapons which he threatened were loaded, and for “strangling” her.

When police arrived at Hardy’s Charlottesville home, Holder was scratched and bruised, and she has subsequently taken out a restraining order against the 26 year old footballer after he threatened to kill her if she told anybody about the attack. Hardy has been charged with misdemeanor domestic violence charges and has been released on a $17,000 bond. He was ordered not to have any contact with Holder, and to attend three Alcoholics Anonymous meetings a week as he was drunk at the time of the attack.

Hardy’s lawyer, Chris Fialko argued that the 120 pound Holder was in fact the one who attacked his client, although her attorney countered that it seemed highly unlikely, considering the 6-foot-4, 290-pound footballer’s dimensions. “The physical evidence doesn’t even come close to matching that,” said her attorney, who also pointed out to the bruises “from her head to her toes.”

Hardy’s problematic character issues cost him a fall in the draft, where he was picked up by the Panthers in the sixth round in 2010.  He made Pro Bowl last season.

Hardy has been caught driving at excessive speed multiple times, and even tweeted a picture of himself tearing down the highway in his car at 100 mph several years ago.  In 2011, he was involved in a motorcycle crash and, as a result, had to miss most of the preseason and come into the season inadequately prepared.