Zach Ty Bryan, a former child actor best known for his role on the sitcom "Home Improvement," is facing the possibility of serving a previously suspended prison sentence after admitting to multiple probation violations in Oregon.
Bryan, 44, appeared in court Monday and acknowledged three violations of the probation imposed after a domestic violence conviction, according to ABC News affiliate KEZI.
The court is scheduled to sentence him on Feb. 17. His probation officer has requested that the judge revoke probation and impose the original custodial sentence.
In 2023, Bryan avoided a 20-month prison sentence after a domestic violence conviction and was placed on probation for three years, Page Six reported.
Court records indicate that Bryan has since been arrested several times for driving under the influence of intoxicants over a span of 26 months. Those arrests form the basis of the probation violations now before the court.
The most recent violation stems from an incident earlier this year involving Bryan and his fiancee, Johnnie Faye Cartwright, which also resulted in both being taken into custody.
At the time, the Lane County Sheriff's Office said deputies were dispatched to a reported incident of reckless endangering near Big Fall Creek Road, a popular camping area northeast of Lowell.
According to the sheriff's office, Bryan and Cartwright were traveling together in a pickup truck with their three young children. During the incident, Bryan exited the vehicle and began walking along the roadway.
"Cartwright then attempted to run over Bryan, crashing the truck with the children inside into the ditch. Bryan was able to move out of the way and avoid injury. No one inside the pickup was injured," the sheriff's office said in a statement.
Deputies said both adults appeared to be impaired.
Authorities also determined that Bryan was in violation of the terms of his domestic violence probation, which prohibited contact with Cartwright.
Bryan was arrested for violating the terms of his probation. Cartwright was arrested on suspicion of attempted assault in the first degree, three counts of recklessly endangering, and driving under the influence.
The couple's legal history predates the most recent incident by several years.
In 2020, Cartwright accused Bryan of attacking her, leading to charges that included felony strangulation, menacing, assault, and harassment. Those allegations ultimately resulted in a domestic violence conviction that placed Bryan on probation.
Bryan said last year that his legal issues were rooted in struggles following early fame.
"Being thrust into the spotlight at nine years old brought pressures I wasn't equipped to handle — but that's no justification for my choices as an adult," he said in a November interview with TMZ.
He added that his "repeated legal issues" stemmed from the "lasting effects of early fame, addiction, and poor decision-making," and expressed regret for his actions.
The upcoming sentencing hearing will determine whether Bryan remains on probation or is ordered to serve the original prison term.
If the court accepts the probation officer's recommendation, Bryan could be required to serve the full sentence that was previously suspended.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.