Zachery Ty Brown, best known for starring alongside Tim Allen and Patricia Richardson as their oldest son in the 1990s sitcom Home Improvement, has been arrested for the sixth time in five years.
Bryan Arrested Again
Brown, 44, was arrested in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday. Jail records show that he was taken into custody for allegedly violating his probation from his prior domestic violence conviction.
Bryan is being held without bail at Lane County Jail. He is set to be released on Wednesday, December 3.
Bryan’s fiancé Johnnie Faye Cartwright was arrested along with him. According to jail records, she is facing five charges. These include one count of driving under the influence, three counts of reckless endangering and one count of attempted first-degree assault. As of this writing, Cartwright is still in custody.
Bryan’s Most Recent Previous Arrest
Prior to this, Bryan was most recently arrested in January. At the time, he was hit with charges of second-degree domestic violence from Myrtle Beach police in South Carolina.
People Magazine obtained a police report in which the arresting officer said a woman involved in the incident “stated that she was assaulted” by Bryan. She also reportedly said that the two “live together and have children in common.”
This woman told police that Bryan “choked her and punched her in the face multiple times,” and that there were “others” involved who were “inside the home during the incident.”
Cartwright was allegedly this woman. She and Bryan are parents to three children: daughter Kennedy and twins Parker and Sequoia.
Bryan’s Prior Arrest
Bryan was arrested twice in 2024 on DUI charges. The first time he was arrested that year was in February, while the second was in October.
In 2023, Bryan was arrested and charged with fourth-degree felony assault, third-degree robbery and misdemeanor harassment. He ended up pleading guilty to felony assault in the fourth degree, constituting domestic violence. Bryan was subsequently sentenced to seven days in jail.
Lane County’s chief deputy district attorney Chris Parosa said at the time that Bryan’s second count was dismissed as a term of a “negotiated resolution.” He could have faced 19 to 20 months of jail time. Instead, Bryan was given a “downward dispositional departure to 36 months of supervised probation, 7 days jail, standard domestic violence conditions, no contact with the victim without the probation officer’s approval.”
At this time, Bryan’s probation is set to last until October of 2026. It’s unclear if that will change after his latest arrest.
Bryan was previously arrested in 2020 for allegedly strangling his then-girlfriend at an Oregon home. The former child star then pled guilty to two domestic violence misdemeanor charges and was sentenced to 36 months of probation.
Cartwright spoke out in 2023 to show her support for Bryan. At the time, she told Us Weekly that she “always want what’s best for the father of my children.”
“Trauma can bring struggles in many shapes and forms. It’s a horrible situation that’s going to be spun in so many ways. I’ve learned firsthand the truth will never align with what’s been put out there,” Cartwright continued. “I ask everyone to please be respectful of our privacy for the sake of the children and our families so the healing process can begin.”
Bryan’s History
Bryan is best known for starring alongside Tim Allen and Patricia Richardson on Home Improvement. He played their oldest son Brad Taylor on the series from 1991 until 1999. Bryan also had guest roles The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Boston Public, Center of the Universe and Veronica Mars.
In 2023, Bryan admitted to The Hollywood Reporter that it “was actually really difficult” to find stable work as an actor after Home Improvement ended.
That same year, Allen spoke out to defend his former TV son.
“Zach is a great kid who has grown into a complex man,” Allen said at the time. “All you can do is step aside and let somebody go through their process.”
“At a certain point, he deviated from the guy I know to somebody who is reacting to situations that I had nothing to do with and can’t control,” he concluded. “I don’t know what happens when people get corrupted. You just don’t know.”
This has clearly been a very difficult few years for Bryan. In the end, it’s sad to watch someone who brought joy to millions on a beloved sitcom like Home Improvement go down this road.