Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges pleaded not guilty Wednesday to felony domestic violence and child abuse charges stemming from an alleged assault in Los Angeles last month, officials said.
Bridges, 24, was arrested June 29 in Los Angeles and was freed after posting $130,000 bail.
Prosecutors on Tuesday filed one felony count of injuring a child’s parent and two felony counts of child abuse under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said.
The district attorney’s office said that it involved an alleged assault on Bridges’ girlfriend, and that it happened in front of their two children around June 27 and June 28.
Bridges pleaded not guilty at an arraignment Wednesday, the district attorney's office said. His next court date is Aug. 19.
A request for comment from Bridges’ attorney was not immediately returned Wednesday evening.
The Hornets said in a statement Tuesday that they were aware of the charges filed against Bridges.
“These are very serious charges that we will continue to monitor,” the statement, tweeted from the team’s public relations account, said. “As this is a legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time.”
A criminal complaint does not spell out exactly what allegedly occurred in regard to the child abuse charges, but it contains statutory language that includes physical pain and mental suffering.
“Domestic violence creates physical, mental and emotional trauma that has a lasting impact on survivors,” Gascón said in Tuesday’s statement. “Children who witness family violence are especially vulnerable and the impact on them is immeasurable.”
If convicted as charged, Bridges faces up to 11 years and 8 months in prison, a spokesman for the DA’s office said.
Bridges, who has played with the Hornets since 2018, had a breakout 2021-2022 season, averaging 20.2 points, seven rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.
He was drafted 12th overall in the 2018 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers, who then traded the draft rights to the Hornets.
If you or someone you know is facing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence hotline for help at (800) 799-SAFE (7233), or go to www.thehotline.org for more. States often have domestic violence hotlines as well.