Zachery Ty Bryan, best known for playing Brad Taylor on Home Improvement, has been arrested once again. The actor, 44, was taken into custody in Eugene, Oregon, on Saturday (November 29), marking his sixth arrest in five years, as per jail records.
Bryan is accused of violating the terms of his probation stemming from a previous domestic violence conviction. He is currently being held without bail at Lane County Jail, with a scheduled release date of Wednesday, December 3.
His fiancée, Johnnie Faye Cartwright, was also arrested and booked at the same jail. She now faces five charges, including driving under the influence, three counts of reckless endangering, and one count of attempted first-degree harm.
Authorities have not confirmed whether either Bryan or Cartwright have legal representation.
Zachery Ty Bryan was arrested for the sixth time in five years after violating the terms of a domestic violence conviction
Bryan’s arrest history has grown increasingly serious over the past half-decade.
His most recent arrest prior to this weekend occurred in January 2025, when Myrtle Beach police charged him with second-degree domestic violence.
According to a report by People Magazine, the responding officer said a woman involved in the incident claimed she was attacked by Bryan and that they “live together and have children in common.”
Image credits: Getty/Jason LaVeris
She told police that Bryan choked her and punched her in the face multiple times, adding that there were others inside the home during the incident.
The woman in question was Cartwright, with whom Bryan shares three children: daughter Kennedy and twins Parker and Sequoia.
For many who have followed Bryan’s behavior in recent years, the allegations came as little surprise, especially given his track record of breaking the law and his previous domestic violence charge against a partner.
Bryan has been involved in several crimes, including driving under the influence and harming a previous partner
Image credits: Facebook/Johnnie Faye Cartwright
Bryan’s January arrest came on the heels of two DUIs in 2024, one in February and another in October. And the year before, he faced charges of fourth-degree harm, third-degree robbery, and misdemeanor harassment.
He ultimately pleaded guilty to a fourth-degree felony tied to domestic violence, according to Lane County chief deputy district attorney Chris Parosa.
Image credits: Getty/Handout
The chief explained that Bryan ended up serving only seven days in jail because the judge chose a lighter punishment than what the charges normally require.
Instead of facing more than a year behind bars, he was given 36 months of supervised probation with strict conditions.
Image credits: Facebook/Johnnie Faye Cartwright
The agreement included “standard domestic violence conditions” and a requirement of no contact with the victim without approval. A second charge was dismissed as part of the negotiated resolution.
His probation will not expire until October 2026.
His fiancée explained his conduct as the result of profound trauma and substance dependence issues
Image credits: Access Hollywood
Despite being aware of Bryan’s prior behavior, Cartwright had previously spoken publicly in support of Bryan.
For instance, in 2023, she told Us Weekly she would always want what’s best for him as the father of her children, and chalked it up to his troubled life history and personal trauma.
Image credits: Getty/Jeff Kravitz
“Trauma can bring struggles in many shapes and forms. It’s a horrible situation that’s going to be spun in so many ways,” she said.
“I’ve learned firsthand the truth will never align with what’s been put out there. I ask everyone to please be respectful of our privacy for the sake of the children and our families so the healing process can begin.”
Two years later, she is now sitting in the same jail, facing five criminal charges.
Image credits: IMdb
Bryan rose to fame playing Brad Taylor through all eight seasons of Home Improvement alongside Tim Allen and Patricia Richardson.
He also appeared in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Boston Public, Veronica Mars, and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.
In 2023, he told The Hollywood Reporter that finding stability after the ABC sitcom wasn’t what many expected. “It was actually really difficult,” he said.
He admitted that he started drinking at age 14, while still working on the 90s hit show, and added the habit eventually led him to depend on several substances.
News of Bryan’s sixth arrest triggered a wave of exhausted, frustrated reactions online
Image credits: JennMGreenberg
Many focused on the repeated leniency he has received. Many criticized the sentence, pointing out this wasn’t Bryan’s first domestic violence incident.
In 2020, Bryan was arrested for allegedly strangling his then-girlfriend in Oregon. He later pled guilty to two misdemeanor domestic violence charges and received 36 months of probation.
Image credits: Getty/Imeh Akpanudosen
“Maybe if the courts gave him actual jail time like other offenders receive, instead of just days, he wouldn’t keep reoffending. It’s not rocket science,” one person wrote.
“I suppose he won’t be at the Home Improvement reunion?” another joked.
Image credits: Facebook/Johnnie Faye Cartwright
Others lamented the trajectory of child stars, warning he could become “another sad child star statistic.”
Some demanded harsher consequences.
“He needs to do some serious jail time. RDJ did and look at him now,” a viewer wrote.
Image credits: Facebook/Johnnie Faye Cartwright
Many also pushed back on trauma being used as justification.
“I know people who have endured extreme trauma and they do not do these kinds of things. As long as you use it as an excuse, you’ll never get better and things will never change,” a user argued.
One final comment summarized the discussion:
“Hollywood breaks people.”
“Poor kids.” Netizens worried for the well-being of Bryan’s children
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