Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna was arrested Saturday after Sandy Springs officers reported seeing him choke his wife, throw her against a wall and strike her with the cast on his broken fingers.
At 12:26 p.m., a 911 caller requested officers at a Windsor Cove home due to an assault in progress, Sgt. Salvador Ortega said late Saturday. When officers arrived at the home, they heard screaming from inside the home and the front door was open, Ortega said.
“Officers entered the residence through the open door and witnessed the suspect grabbing the victim by the neck and throwing her against a wall,” Ortega said in an emailed statement. “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.”
Investigators said Ozuna’s wife had visible injuries but did not go to the hospital.
Police charged Ozuna, 30, with aggravated assault by strangulation and family violence, jail records showed. He was being held without bond Sunday at the Fulton County jail. Ozuna is scheduled to make his first court appearance at 11:30 a.m. Monday.
Earlier this week, Ozuna broke two fingers in a game, was placed on the injured list, and is expected to miss several weeks. The Braves played Saturday night in New York. After the game, Manager Brian Snitker said he was aware of the arrest.
“The Braves have made a statement and stand by that,” Snitker said following a 13-2 loss to the Mets. “That’s all I know.”
Earlier Saturday night, the team released a statement about Ozuna’s arrest on social media.
“We learned of Marcell Ozuna’s arrest earlier this evening and immediately informed the Commissioner’s Office,” the team said. “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.”
The arrest comes a year after Ozuna’s wife, Genesis, was arrested after a domestic dispute.
In the shortened 2020 season, Ozuna’s offense helped lead the Braves to their third National League East title. After leading the league in homers, Ozuna was re-signed in February. The deal was for four years and $65 million, with a fifth-year team option worth $16 million, and there is a $1 million buyout.
— Staff writer Gabriel Burns contributed to this report.
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