Zachery Ty Bryan from 'Home Improvement,' arrested for DUI
The troubled child star, best known for playing Brad Taylor on the hit sitcom ‘Home Improvement,’ was arrested for an alleged DUI in California on Saturday, Feb. 17.
According to People, Bryan (who we see here on the left in the photo) was charged with a felony for driving under the influence. He was also charged with a misdemeanor for alleged contempt of court. The actor was released after paying the $50,000 bail for the felony and the $15,000 bail for the misdemeanor, according to People. The court date is set for April 23.
TMZ reports that the actor was spotted on the Tuesday afternoon after his arrest hitting up a happy hour at a bar called Amigos. From there, he went to another bar… but thankfully he was photographed taking a rideshare to the next joint — an Applebee’s, where he grabbed a chair by the bar.
This isn’t the actor’s only trouble in recent years… with issues running the gamut from domestic assault to fraud accusations.
It wasn’t a great year for anyone, but 2020 was when the trouble seemed to start for the actor. In Oct of that year, he was held on charges including felony strangulation, misdemeanor charges of fourth-degree assault, and interfering with making a police report, after an apparent argument with his girlfriend. The month prior, he had divorced his wife and the mother of his four children (pictured) after 13 years of marriage.
USA Today reports that he pleaded guilty to menacing and assault in the fourth degree stemming from the domestic violence case. The other charges were dismissed. He was sentenced to three years of bench probation, attending an intervention program, and having no contact with the victim.
In 2023, the Hollywood Reporter published a long profile on the star, saying he was accused of stealing money through a fraudulent scheme tied to agriculture-technology startups. Before that, he had reportedly gotten rich off of investing in Bitcoin early.
In July 2023, Bryan was arrested and charged with fourth-degree felony assault, third-degree robbery, and harassment after an hours-long dispute with a woman, according to People. He was ordered to seven days in jail after pleading guilty to one charge, while the other was settled. His fiance, model Johnnie Faye, has defended him.
According to Hollywood Reporter, the star had been living a seemingly idyllic and trouble-free life until around 2020. Tim Allen, who played his father in 'Home Improvement,' told the magazine he “had no idea what’s going on with him.” He said: “Zach is a great kid who has grown into a complex man… 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."
"You were stigmatized as a TV star, and no matter how good your audition, you were never going to be taken seriously," he told People. "As an actor, you're like a cow going to the slaughterhouse, and you have to rely on so many people, from an agent to manager to lawyer. I figured I didn't necessarily have to act anymore, there are other directions to go."
According to his acting credits, he had several roles since ‘Home Improvement’ ended in 1999, but basically stopped acting in 2009. However, in 2022, he did have a small part in a Netflix show. From 2008 to 2012, he also produced several films.