Jaguars WR Zay Jones arrested in Florida on domestic battery charge
Jaguars wide receiver Zay Jones was arrested on Monday night in Jacksonville on a misdemeanor domestic battery charge after he apparently got into an argument with the mother of his child that led to a neck injury, according to The Associated Press.
Jones was arrested and booked into the Duval County Jail just after 6 p.m. ET on Monday. Police were called to a Jacksonville apartment around 2:20 p.m., where the woman was visiting Jones and their child. According to ESPN, Jones became upset after the woman said she was planning to take the child back to Orlando. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office deputy said in the arrest report that he "observed several small scratches on the victim's neck, consistent with marks from a fingernail."
The charge is a first-degree misdemeanor in Florida, and it is punishable by up to 180 days in jail and up to a $1,000 fine. Jones was released on bond after a court appearance on Tuesday morning.
“We are aware of the situation and are in the midst of gathering information,” the Jaguars said in a statement, via The Associated Press. “We will have no further comment at this time.”
Jones, 28, has played in three games this season while dealing with knee soreness that has kept him out of the Jaguars’ past four games and six of their past seven. He has 78 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches this season. He returned to practice in a limited capacity last week, but it’s still unclear when he will be healthy enough to play again. Jones last played against the Buffalo Bills on Oct. 8, when he had 23 yards and a touchdown on three catches.
Jones had 823 yards and five touchdowns on 82 catches last season, his first with the Jaguars. The former East Carolina star also spent time with the Bills and Raiders before landing in Jacksonville. He is in the second year of a three-year, $24 million deal.
The Jaguars will host the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. They hold a 6-3 record, which leads the AFC South, despite Sunday's 34-3 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. That loss snapped a five-game win streak.