Home Improvement actor Zachery Ty Bryan has pleaded guilty to two counts and been sentenced to probation after allegedly strangling a woman. Bryan starred as oldest son Brad on the Tim Allen ABC sitcom, which ran for eight seasons from 1991-99. Home Improvement was one of the most popular sitcoms of its time, lauded for its portrayal of a family’s life in suburban Detroit. It remains beloved by many today, with Allen’s character Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor recently popping by the star’s current show, Last Man Standing, for a Home Improvement crossover.
Bryan’s Brad appeared in all eight seasons of the show. After Home Improvement ended, Bryan made guest appearances on several TV series including The Outer Limits, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Smallville. He also starred in movies such as The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Longshot. Bryan last appeared onscreen in the 2009 TV movie THOR: Hammer of the Gods, though he’s since served as a producer on other projects. As of now, Home Improvement remains the actor’s most well-known project.
People reports Bryan, 39, was charged in October after police responded to a call from neighbors. Following Bryan’s initial arrest, a police spokesperson said he was reported to have “assaulted the victim, impeded her breathing, and taken the victim’s phone from her when she tried to call 911.” The Home Improvement actor originally faced multiple charges, including strangulation, harassment and coercion, but online records reveal the other charges were dropped. “While Mr. Bryan was charged with additional crimes, including two class C felonies, it is in the interest of closure for the victim and in recognition of the backlog of cases we have due to COVID restrictions that make me believe this resolution is in the interest of justice,” the D.A. says.
This week, Bryan pled guilty to “menacing and assault in the fourth degree constituting domestic violence.” The Lane County District Attorney says in a statement that Bryan “was sentenced to 36 months of bench probation, with conditions of probation including the program Bridges2Safety and no contact with the victim as well as the other standard conditions in a domestic violence sentencing.” Police have identified the victim as a 27-year-old woman who was in a relationship with Bryan at the time of the alleged assault. Just two weeks before the incident, Bryan announced on Instagram that he and his wife, Carly, to whom he had been married since 2007 and with whom he has four children, had split.
Between the breakup of his marriage, the domestic disturbance, and the subsequent court case, this seems to be a very turbulent time for the former Home Improvement star. The news about Bryan points to the added pressure child actors face growing up in the industry, which can often manifest later in life as well. There are far too many Hollywood stories like this one involving people who have spent virtually their entire lives in the business. Though Bryan’s career may not be to blame in this particular situation, it’s possible it played a role. Until certain elements of the industry change, it seems likely unfortunate news like this will continue to come out.
