Texas Rangers Hall of Fame member Josh Hamilton was indicted Monday on one count of injury to a child with intentional bodily injury, a third-degree felony, stemming from a Sept. 30 incident in which he allegedly injured his oldest daughter.
Hamilton pleaded not guilty Oct. 31 after turning himself in on Oct. 30 and was released on a $35,000 bond. But the case will be delayed indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic. Courts aren’t scheduling hearings until after May 11.
He is accused of throwing a water bottle at his oldest daughter, 14, and hitting her in the chest, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. Hamilton also grabbed the chair where his daughter had propped her feet and yanked it from under her, then tossed the chair in her direction, police said. According to the affidavit, the chair struck her leg. Hamilton then picked her up and carried to her room, where he struck her in the back and legs, according to the affidavit.
The alleged incident at Hamilton’s home in Keller, Texas, came only two days after he was introduced as one of the greatest Rangers of the Globe Life Park Era after the final game at the ballpark.
Hamilton is a recovering drug addict and alcoholic who said in August that he remains sober, but he had multiple headline-grabbing relapses during his career. Two occurred while with the Rangers, who acquired him in a December 2007 trade and watched as he became a five-time All-Star and the 2010 American League MVP.
He left for the Los Angeles Angels in December 2012, but was traded back to the Rangers after an offseason relapse while he recovered from shoulder surgery. He attempted to play with the Rangers in 2016 and 2017 but needed multiple knee operations.
“The Texas Rangers take the issue of family violence very seriously,” the team said in a statement following Hamilton’s arrest. “We are aware of the situation involving Josh Hamilton. Since this is an ongoing legal matter, we have no further comment.”
At the time, Hamilton shared custody of his three daughters with his ex-wife, Katie, but the court initially banned him from having contact with them. However, that order was amended in December to no unsupervised contact without an adult present.
A case in family court is pending.
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