NFL running back and 2012 MVP Adrian Peterson will not be charged with felony domestic violence after he was arrested on Sunday following an incident with his wife on a plane at the Los Angeles International Airport.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office confirmed on Tuesday that it has declined to charge Peterson, according to multiple outlets.
Though the District Attorney’s Office won’t pursue a felony domestic violence charge, Peterson’s case was referred to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office where it could still be considered as a misdemeanor, according to The Washington Post.
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office will not charge NFL running back Adrian Peterson with felony domestic violence, but his case was referred to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office for misdemeanor consideration https://t.co/5AuxveW2xp
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) February 16, 2022
Peterson’s wife, Ashley, released a brief statement on Instagram concerning the incident.
“On Sunday, Adrian and I had a verbal argument,” she wrote. “Unfortunately, it was on an airplane. At no point did Adrian hit or strike me. This is a private matter between my husband and myself. We ask that everyone respect our privacy so we can focus on what matters most: our children.”
The seven-time Pro Bowl running back spoke further about the incident with Fox 26 reporter Mark Berman on Monday following the situation.
“It’s blown out of proportion. Me and the wife got into an argument on the plane. That was pretty much the gist of it. I ended up grabbing her hand and taking her ring off her finger. She didn’t press any charges. The state of California pressed charges because there was a scratch on her hand. Literally that’s why I went to jail, because the ring left a scratch on her finger. We just had a disagreement. I know the headlines: Domestic violence. You’d think I beat her up or something. It was nothing like that,” Peterson said.
“Only thing I will say is it looks horrible because Adrian Peterson arrested for domestic violence,” he added. “I don’t hit women. It’s not that type of situation, and it just looks bad. I’ll deal with it, and God willing get the charges dropped and move on.”
ICYMI: @AdrianPeterson, in a telephone interview with FOX 26 Sports, on the incident that caused him to be arrested in LA: “I was literally mindblown that they took me to jail.They were like I’m sorry Mr. Peterson, but because she had a scratch on her finger, (in) the state of..” pic.twitter.com/qB2Ay77fPQ
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) February 14, 2022
The Daily Wire reported following the arrest that ABC 7 reported:
Peterson, 36, was taken into custody and was later booked at the Los Angeles Police Department’s Pacific Division for alleged corporal injury of a spouse. His bail was set at $50,000, online arrest records showed.
The LAX Police Division said in a statement that officers responded to the morning flight, which was going to Houston, “due to a verbal and physical altercation between a male suspect and a female victim.”
“The passengers along with the female victim were able to continue with their flight plans,” according to the airport police news release.
A spokesperson for Peterson and his wife released the following statement on the incident:
Earlier today, Adrian and his wife Ashley had a verbal argument on a flight, and he was removed from the plane. This is a private misunderstanding between husband and wife and we anticipate it will all be resolved shortly.
The incident is not the first time Peterson has faced legal trouble over an abuse allegation. The running back pleaded no contest in 2014 to a reduced charge of “misdemeanor reckless assault as part of plea deal with prosecutors to resolve his felony child abuse case” stemming from an incident where he allegedly beat his son with a stick so hard that it caused bodily injury.
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