Arizona Cardinals LB Daryl Washington sentenced to probation
Apr 23, 2014, 9:04 AM | Updated: 11:38 am
PHOENIX — Arizona Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington was sentenced to one year of supervised probation Wednesday in an aggravated assault case.
After originally pleading not guilty, Washington entered a guilty plea on March 24. He was arrested in May 2013 and charged with two counts of assault following a conflict with his ex-girlfriend.
“The sentence was not so strong that you look at it and say ‘This is a great deal of culpability on his part,'” said Doug Franz from the Doug & Wolf Show on Arizona Sports, now on 98.7 FM. “I think the light sentence is going to show the NFL to go light as well.”
Franz said he believes Washington will be suspended two games by the NFL.
According to the police report, Washington had paid a visit to the accuser’s apartment to see their baby, which was not out of the ordinary. Eventually, Washington left with the baby, which upset the mother.
When Washington and the baby returned, the report states he and his ex-girlfriend got into an argument, which continued as they reached the top of the apartment complex’s stairs. The report states that from there, as the woman asked Washington to return the baby to her, he pushed her away and would not allow her to get close enough to reach the baby. The report says Washington “extended his hand and grabbed” the woman by the neck before pushing her over to the landing railing while choking her.
The report says Washington eventually loosened his grip and the woman was able to take the baby from him, but as she tried to close the apartment door behind her he shoved it open and “pushed his way in.”
The report says the woman’s injuries were consistent with her account of the events.
It was later found that Washington and his ex-girlfriend had cases in Maricopa County’s family court system.
Washington was a Pro Bowl alternate in 2012 after finishing the season with 134 tackles and nine sacks. The former second-round pick out of TCU has tallied 319 tackles, 15 sacks and four interceptions as an Arizona Cardinal. He signed a six-year, $32 million contract extension prior to the 2012 season.
KTAR’s Jim Cross and ArizonaSports.com contributed to this report.
