Zach Smith is in trouble with the law again.
The former Ohio State wide receivers coach was arrested on Thursday afternoon for violating his civil protection order, according to Delaware County Sheriff's Office records.
Zach Smith's mugshot from the Delaware County Sheriff's Office.
According to Kyle Rowland of the Toledo Blade, who first reported Smith's arrest, "Smith became confrontational with staff at Scioto Ridge Elementary when they did not allow him to pick up his children."
Smith was taken to the Delaware County Jail and charged with a misdemeanor. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Friday morning and is scheduled to re-appear in court on June 5.
The civil protection order Smith is charged with violating was filed against him by his ex-wife, Courtney Carano, in July. Smith was fired by Ohio State on July 23, the same day it was made public that a civil protection order had been filed against him.
Courtney's attorney, Julia Leveridge, said in a statement that the three-year civil protection order requires Zach Smith to stay away from his ex-wife, and that the school was not a designated location for him to pick up his kids.
Leveridge's statement, per 10TV:
“This was not Mr. Smith’s court-ordered parenting time, and the school is not the exchange location. School personnel attempted to protect Courtney by placing her in a room away from Mr. Smith. After entering the elementary school, Mr. Smith was involved in an altercation with school personnel whom initially contacted the police.
“Contrary to statements made by Mr. Smith’s attorney, as has been reported, Mr. Smith agreed to a 3-year Consent Agreement Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order to stay away from his ex-wife. This order is to protect Courtney Smith, and she did not agree to any ‘mutual’ stay-away order. No court has found Courtney in contempt of any court order. Due to recent events, Courtney remains in fear for her safety and the safety and well-being of the parties’ children, who are Courtney’s primary concern. It is unfortunate that Mr. Smith chose to violate court orders rather than put the parties’ children first.”
Zach's attorney, Brad Koffel, said in a statement that the couple's children were supposed to be in Zach's custody on Wednesday, and described the situation as "100% avoidable by both of them."
Koffel's statement, per 10TV:
“Same old, same old. Absolutely malicious move by his ex-wife to have Zach arrested at their kids’ school when he was there to pick them up. She’s in contempt of court for not giving him the kids to him last night which she was supposed to. Just very sad for the children. 100% avoidable by both of them.”
Zach released a statement of his own Saturday morning on Twitter, in which he said he has "20+ filings" finding Courtney in contempt of court for not allowing him to exercise his parenting time, and said he is "just a man who wants to see his kids when the law and courts have dictated I should see them."
Just a man who wants to see his kids when the law and courts have dictated I should see them. pic.twitter.com/VVZL68cKd6
— Zach Smith (@CoachZachSmith) May 11, 2019
