Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper is in legal trouble for the second time this month. Cooper was arrested Thursday night on charges that he violated a protection order that had been put in place earlier in the week, according to ESPN.
What Happened Thursday Night
According to the arrest affidavit, Cooper allegedly sent 20 messages and made two unanswered phone calls to his girlfriend before showing up at her apartment and knocking on her door. He left when she called 911. When officers tracked Cooper down at his home, he told them he had not been served with the protection order.
The protection order had been put in place for his girlfriend following the addition of two new charges from his earlier arrest, including a felony charge of second-degree assault by strangulation.
The New Charges He Is Facing
On top of the charges already pending from his first arrest, Cooper is now facing one charge of harassment through repeated phone calls and one charge for violating the protection order, according to court records.
A Second Arrest This Month
This is not Cooper’s first run-in with the law in June. He was initially arrested on June 4 in Parker, Colorado, alongside his girlfriend. He was released from Douglas County Jail the following day on a personal recognizance bond. Cooper, 28, pleaded not guilty Monday in a Douglas County courtroom to misdemeanor domestic violence charges stemming from that arrest.
Court records later showed additional charges had been filed, including the felony second-degree assault by strangulation charge and a misdemeanor count of third-degree assault for knowingly or recklessly causing bodily injury. Those charges were announced in court Wednesday, according to ESPN.
What Happens Next
During a Friday morning court appearance in Douglas County, Cooper was released on a personal recognizance bond and ordered to have no contact with his girlfriend. The court also ruled that he must get court approval before traveling outside of Colorado.
Broncos and NFL Respond
The Denver Broncos addressed the situation Friday morning in a brief statement. “We are disappointed to learn of Jonathon Cooper’s arrest on Thursday and continue to review this matter,” the team said.
The NFL also weighed in. League spokesman Brian McCarthy said the situation remains under review of the personal conduct policy and that the league would continue monitoring developments.