‘He has really gone downhill’: ‘Home Improvement’s’ Zachery Ty Bryan arrested for domestic violence… for the third time

Out-of-work actor and film producer Zachery Ty Bryan has again landed himself in trouble with the law. The former child television star, who is best known for his role as Brad Taylor, son of Tim Allen’s DIY specialist Tim Taylor, on the ABC sitcom Home Improvement, has been arrested on a domestic violence charge in South Carolina. It’s the third time he’s been charged for the same crime.

Bryan — whose other acting credits include notable shows like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Boston Public, ER, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Smallville, Veronica Mars, and Knight Rider, and movies like Bigfoot: The Unforgettable Encounter (1994), The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999), and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) — who was born on Oct. 9, 1981, in Aurora, Colorado, and is now 43, has previously been charged with the same offense in October 2020 and July 2023, per In Touch Weekly.

On the first occasion, he pleaded guilty to menacing and fourth-degree assault and was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to enter a violence-intervention program. On the second occasion, he pleaded guilty to felony assault in the fourth degree, constituting domestic violence. He was sentenced to 36 months of supervised probation and one week in jail after a plea negotiation was reached.

Records from the Horry County Sheriff’s Office viewed by The Sun News say Bryan was arrested and booked by Myrtle Beach Police on Thursday, January 2, is facing a second-degree domestic violence charge, and was still incarcerated as of Friday, Jan. 3.

Domestic violence isn’t the only crime Bryan has been charged with in his troubled recent years. In June 2023, he was accused of running a fraudulent agriculture-technology startup scheme (per The Hollywood Reporter). Sources close to Bryan told the publication that individual payments ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 were given to Bryan in exchange for fake contracts that, in reality, had no value. He is said to have earned close to $50,000 from the scam.

Also, in both February (per MSN) and October (per Fox 25) of 2024, he was arrested for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The second arrest also saw him charged with driving without a valid license.

News of Bryan’s most recent arrest garnered a mixed response from users of X. Some referred to Bryan’s life having taken a turn for the worse, with references to his drug use.

He has really gone downhill.

— Chris 406 🇺🇸 (@406nighteyes) January 4, 2025

Methy

— Kevin King (@kev4acting) January 4, 2025

you know how down bad you gotta be to do meth.

— Toya ☆ (@fvck_college) January 4, 2025

Others had a more sympathetic reaction to the news, suggesting Bryan requires some intervention to help him take his life to a better place.

Disappointing … if you’re arrested twice for this u need help

— Mel (@mfcaligirl) January 4, 2025

Then, some people had less sympathy, with some suggesting he should never have been allowed out of jail following his first offenses and others saying he’s always been terrible.

We hope Zachery Ty Bryan turns his life around for the sake of those closest to him, such as his model fiancée, Johnnie Faye Cartwright, and his eight children (three of whom are with Cartwright). It remains to be seen what will come of his latest arrest.