A former sitcom actor's troubled path continues as law enforcement confronts him with another serious legal challenge in Oklahoma.
According to Entertainment Weekly, Zachery Ty Bryan, known for his role as Brad Taylor on "Home Improvement," was taken into custody on Friday morning for his second DUI offense of 2024.
The 43-year-old actor was apprehended by the Custer County Sheriff's Office in Oklahoma at approximately 8:34 a.m. local time. Beyond the DUI charge, Bryan also faces allegations of operating a vehicle without valid licensure, marking another chapter in his growing list of legal troubles.
This arrest adds to Bryan's mounting legal challenges following a previous DUI arrest in February 2024. That incident involved both a felony DUI charge and a misdemeanor contempt of court charge, highlighting a pattern of legal difficulties for the former child star.
July 2023 saw Bryan facing serious charges, including felony assault, third-degree robbery, and assault. The resolution of these charges resulted in a guilty plea to felony assault in the fourth degree, leading to a seven-day jail sentence and 36 months of supervised probation.
In October 2020, Bryan encountered another significant legal issue when he was arrested on multiple charges, including a felony charge of strangulation and misdemeanor charges of assault and interfering with a police report. This incident concluded with guilty pleas to menacing and fourth-degree assault constituting domestic violence in February 2021.
Bryan has publicly discussed his 2020 arrest, which stemmed from an altercation with his girlfriend. Regarding this incident, Bryan shared his perspective with The Hollywood Reporter:
We didn't even really get that physical. We got really loud. We were screaming and because we were in a townhome that had [thin walls], everybody could hear... At the end of the day, [the police] throw a bunch of counts at you because they ultimately want you to plead to something.
The situation prompted a response from his former TV father, Tim Allen, who expressed concern about Bryan's trajectory. Allen spoke candidly about his former co-star's struggles.
Bryan's acting career peaked during his eight-season run on "Home Improvement," where he portrayed the eldest son of Tim Allen's character. His post-sitcom career included appearances on various television shows, including "ER," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Veronica Mars," and "Smallville."
The actor also ventured into film work, securing a supporting role in "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift." However, his recent years have been marked more by legal issues than professional achievements in the entertainment industry. Tim Allen, commenting on Bryan's situation, expressed his perspective to The Hollywood Reporter:
I don't know what's going on with him. Zach is a great kid who has grown into a complex man. 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.
The Oklahoma arrest represents Bryan's latest encounter with law enforcement in a series of incidents spanning multiple years. The combination of driving without a valid license and the DUI charge suggests escalating legal complications for the former actor.
Representatives for Bryan and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol have not provided official comments regarding the recent arrest. The situation continues to develop as authorities process the charges and determine the next steps in the legal proceedings.
The trajectory of Bryan's life after "Home Improvement" illustrates the complex challenges faced by former child stars in Hollywood. His recurring legal troubles, particularly within the past four years, paint a picture of ongoing personal struggles. This latest incident adds another chapter to Bryan's complicated relationship with law enforcement, marking his second DUI arrest in 2024 alone.
