gettyimages-12291586451.jpg
Getty Images

Atlanta Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna has been arrested on a charge of aggravated assault strangulation and a charge of misdemeanor battery -- family violence according to Fulton County jail records cited by both ESPN's Jeff Passan and David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 

On Saturday night, the Sandy Springs (Ga.) Police Department released the following statement regarding Ozuna's arrest: 

Earlier today at 12:26 PM, Sandy Springs Police Officers received a 911 call requesting they respond to a residence on Windsor Cove regarding an assault in progress. As Officers arrived to the home, they heard screaming coming from inside and noticed the front door wide open. Due to the exigency of the known facts, Officers entered the residence through the front door and witnessed the suspect grabbing the victim by the neck and throwing her against a wall. Officers were able to immediately take the suspect into custody without further incident. In addition to the strangulation attempts, the suspect also struck the victim with his arm which has a cast from a previous injury. Preliminary investigation has revealed this incident to be domestic related between the suspect and his wife, both residents of the Windsor Cove home.

The suspect, Marcell Ozuna was arrested and has been charged with the following:

  • Aggravated Assault by Strangulation under the Domestic Violence Act
  • Battery under the Domestic Violence Act

The victim did have visible injuries, but was not transported to the hospital.

The suspect has been booked into the Fulton County Jail on the above charges and is awaiting prosecution.

Ozuna was released on $20,000 bond Monday, according to the Associated Press. He had been jailed since Saturday's arrest. 

The aggravated assault strangulation charge is a felony in the state of Georgia and carries a minimum sentence of one year in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison in the event of a conviction, as Passan notes.

Passan adds that Major League Baseball will likely investigate the alleged incident under the joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy. MLB has the power to discipline players under the policy regardless of judicial system outcomes. As such, Ozuna may be suspended under the policy. 

Earlier on Saturday, Miles Garrett of WSBT in Mishawaka, Ind., tweeted out the following: 

On Saturday evening, the Braves released the following statement: 

"We learned of Marcell Ozuna's arrest earlier this evening and immediately informed the Commissioner's Office.  The Braves fully support Major League Baseball's policy on domestic violence which stresses to the fullest that our society cannot and will not tolerate domestic violence in any form.  Until the investigation is completed, we will have no further comment and all inquiries into the matter should be referred to the Office of the Commissioner."

Ozuna, 30, has struggled thus far on the field in 2021 after finishing sixth in the NL MVP balloting and leading the NL in an array of offensive categories last season with Atlanta. Ozuna was placed on the 10-day injured list earlier in the week with two dislocated fingers on his left hand and is expected to be out at least six weeks. This past offseason, he signed a four-year, $65 million contract with the Braves.