Former NBA star J.R. Smith was arrested on September 28 in Royse City, Texas, on a warrant out of Southlake for assault causing bodily injury family violence, after an automatic license plate reader flagged his car on Interstate 30.
According to the Royse City Police Department, the license plate reader alerted an officer that a vehicle associated with a wanted person was traveling eastbound on I-30, northeast of Dallas. Officers stopped the vehicle, identified Smith — whose legal name is Earl Joseph Smith III — as the driver, and confirmed the active Southlake warrant. Smith, 41, was taken into custody and booked into the Hunt County Detention Center on one misdemeanor count of assault causing bodily injury family violence. He was released on $5,000 bond the following night. Smith's brother was riding in the vehicle and was allowed to take possession of it after the arrest.
Southlake police have not publicly disclosed the circumstances of the alleged assault, identifying neither the alleged victim nor Smith's relationship to that person, and have said only that the investigation remains ongoing. But a criminal complaint obtained by the New York Post alleges Smith "intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly" caused bodily injury to a woman on September 18 by "hitting, grabbing or pushing" her with his hand. The woman was described in the filing as a member of Smith's family or household, or someone with whom he had a dating relationship. Smith has not been convicted, and the filing of a criminal charge does not establish guilt.
Smith's attorney, Justin A. Moore, issued a statement saying: "Mr. Smith is eager to see this matter resolved and has full confidence in the legal process. He is presumed innocent, and we will address this matter in Court. We ask that everyone respect the privacy of all involved throughout the process." Smith is due in court for a hearing later this month.
Smith played 16 NBA seasons from 2004 to 2020 for the New Orleans Hornets, Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers, winning championships with Cleveland in 2016 and the Lakers in 2020, and earning Sixth Man of the Year honors in 2013. After basketball, he walked onto the North Carolina A&T men's golf team and has competed in amateur golf tournaments since. His 2009 reckless-driving case — a crash that killed a friend, for which he served jail time — remains the darkest chapter of his public record; the family-violence charge now threatens to add another.