According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Dave Merritt has been charged with alleged domestic battery against his daughter. The former NFL star was arrested in Kansas on Wednesday, April 22. Misdemeanor domestic battery charges were filed against him on Thursday, April 23.
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"In a complaint filed by the Johnson County District Attorney's office, Merritt is accused of "unlawfully, knowingly, or recklessly cause bodily harm to a person," whom they name as Drayah Merritt," PEOPLE reported. "...According to the complaint, the charge is a 'class B person misdemeanor, which constitutes a domestic violence offense.'"
Merritt currently serves as an assistant coach for the Kansas City Chiefs.
It's worth noting that Merritt has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The judge has set a $2,500 bond with the conditions of "alcohol, drugs or firearms, and no contact with the victim of the alleged crime," per The Independent.
When speaking with the media following the Chiefs' first two draft picks, head coach Andy Reid addressed the current situation.
"We have been in touch with Dave. We understand the situation. We've looked into it," Reid said. "We continue to work back as they go through the investigation, but Dave is home with his family."
Reid then declined any further questions regarding Merritt's arrest.
The Kansas City Chiefs Drafted Some New Defensive Reinforcements
In recent years, Dave Merritt has become known as one of the best defensive back coaches in the NFL. Throughout the course of his coaching career, he's been on the staff of five Super Bowl-winning teams, thus proving his effectiveness at coaching up players in his position pool.
Now, it would appear the Chiefs will need him to work his magic once again, as they drafted Mansoor Delane with the sixth overall pick. Delane is a cornerback and will fall under Merritt's tutelage, pending how things play out with his current legal issues.
"I thought it was important that we address the defense," Reid explained after the draft. "That's an important side of the ball, as much as I love the offense. We had some vacancies there that we needed to take care of. That's the way we felt going in."
There is no further information regarding Merritt's arrest. More details will undoubtedly come to light as the situation continues to unfold.
