NFL Player Cut From Miami Dolphins After Allegedly Assaulting Pregnant Woman
The alleged victim is reportedly five weeks pregnant with Mark Walton’s child.
Mark Walton, running back for the Miami Dolphins, was cut from the team on Tuesday, November 19, following his arrest for allegedly assaulting a pregnant woman.
Police documents state that officers were called to the scene of an alleged domestic incident involving Walton and an unnamed woman that took place at 4:15 a.m. Tuesday in Davie, Florida, ESPN reports. Walton, 22, is alleged to have pushed the victim into a wall before punching her in the face and head several times. One of the responding officers stated that the victim’s left eye was swollen by the time they arrived.
The woman in question, whose name has not been released, is five weeks pregnant with Walton’s child, a fact that she made him aware of days before the alleged assault took place, according to the outlet.
Walton was taken into custody and booked into Broward County jail on a charge of aggravated battery of a pregnant woman, according to the outlet.
That same morning, the Miami Dolphins announced in a statement shared on Twitter its decision to waive Walton.
“We were made aware of a police matter earlier this morning regarding Mark Walton,” team general manager Chris Grier said in a brief statement. “We hold our players to a high standard and take these matters very seriously. We will have no further comment at this time.”
The end of Walton’s relationship with the Dolphins comes in the midst of a four-game suspension for Walton, who was suspended earlier this month after officials found him in violation of the league’s policy regarding substance abuse due to three previous arrests, according to the NFL.
Walton, who was hit with numerous charges that included resisting arrest and reckless driving, received six months of probation in August and had a number of the charges against him dropped, ESPN previously reported.
Following his three arrests, Walton, who played for the Cincinnati Bengals at the time, was released from the team, but his probation has since been vacated, according to the outlet.
Walton has not commented publicly on his latest arrest and his agent did not immediately return a request for comment from ESPN.