Jonathan Dwyer of the Arizona Cardinals has been arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault stemming from an alleged domestic violence incident and has been deactivated for this week’s game against the San Francisco 49ers. Dwyer is now the third player in the NFL on what is essentially a paid leave while facing either domestic or child abuse charges. Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings and Greg Hardy of the Carolina Panthers are both on the exempt/commissioner’s permission list.
— Business Insider, 9/18/14

While the announcements of players receiving pay while investigations were ongoing pissed off the most holier-than-thou media types, we also believe that it was highly unlikely the sanctimonious punditry in the news business would be the ONLY employment base where domestic violence or other crimes did not occur, and thanks to the Internet hamper, here are a few examples of the hypocritical media’s dirty laundry….

1997

Testimony Stuns Court Albert, Wearing Women’s Underwear, Allegedly Bit New Prosecution Witness
A surprise witness testified Wednesday that 54-year-old NBC play-by-play man Marv Albert, wearing white panties and a garter belt, bit her three years ago in a Dallas hotel room during a struggle that left her holding the sportscaster’s hairpiece.

Patricia Masden’s story was the most shocking yet in Albert’s forcible sodomy and assault trial, drawing gasps from spectators but not even a smile from the jurors. Albert is not on trial in connection with the alleged incident, but Circuit Judge Benjamin N.A. Kendrick let her tell her story to show what prosecutors say was a pattern of conduct.

This incident prompted a tribute by Rush Limbaugh via a Bob Rivers’ classic….

2009

CNN’s Rick Sanchez alleged Hit-and-Run DUI, leaves victim Jeffrey Smuzinick paralyzed
WSVN-Ch.7 anchorman Rick Sanchez was charged on Friday with driving under the influence. The charge stems from a Dec. 10 accident during which Sanchez struck a pedestrian outside Joe Robbie Stadium, the Dade County State Attorney’s Office said. A blood test showed that Sanchez, 32, who lives in Pembroke Pines, was legally drunk when his 1991 Volvo hit Jeffrey Smuzinick, deputy chief prosecutor Kathleen Hoague said.

Sanchez’s alcohol level was .15. In Florida, .10 is considered drunk.

2011

Former ESPN personality Jay Mariotti charged with felony stalking and assault
Former ESPN sports personality Jay Mariotti has been charged with three felonies -– stalking, domestic violence and assault -– after he confronted his ex-girlfriend the same day a court ordered him to stay away from her, prosecutors said. He pleaded not guilty Wednesday to the charges: stalking, corporal injury on a spouse or domestic partner, and assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury. He was also charged with two misdemeanor counts of disobeying a court order.

In addition to confronting his ex-girlfriend at a restaurant Sept. 30 — the day he pleaded no contest to one count of misdemeanor domestic violence — prosecutors said he argued with his former girlfriend again outside of a Venice restaurant April 15. He allegedly pulled a chunk of her hair out and grabbed her cellphone, while shouting at her, prosecutors said.

Howard Bryant, writer for ESPN, charged with domestic assault in Buckland
ESPN and the author of three books was arrested in front of Buckland Pizza and charged with assaulting his estranged wife and hitting a police officer who tried to subdue him, state police said.

Howard Bryant, 42, of Hawley Road in Ashfield, was arrested at about 12:15 p.m. Saturday and charged with domestic assault and battery, assault and battery on a police officer and resisting arrest, said state Trooper T.J. Tudryn of the Shelburne Falls barracks.

Former WJZ reporter arrested again in domestic violence case
Former television news personality Dennis Edwards is being held in the Baltimore city jail after police arrested him a second time in four days in connection with a domestic violence case involving his wife, according to court documents. A District Court judge on Monday set bail at $500,000 and scheduled a hearing for Feb. 2. The 54-year-old is charged with violating a protective order, telephone misuse, harassment and malicious destruction of property.

Police first arrested Edwards on Wednesday, Dec. 29, and charged him with assaulting his wife in their home on South Road. The woman told police that Edwards shoved her down and banged her head on the floor. He posted $20,000 bail and was released pending trial.

New York Times Tech Columnist David Pogue, Estranged Wife Charged With Disorderly Conduct In Westport
New York Times “gadget guru” David Pogue and his wife were arrested this week after the two tussled in their their Westport, CT, home, police said. Pogue, 48, and his wife Jennifer, 47, were both collared inside the Woody Lane home about 10:24 p.m. Monday when an argument between the two “turned physical,” Westport Town Police said.

Police captain Sam Arciola says an argument erupted, during which Jennifer allegedly bit David’s forearm. “Jennifer alleged that she was laying in bed reading a book, when David jumped on top of her, pinning her down and grabbing her iPhone from her hands. She then alleges that David had hit her in the head with the phone,” said Arciola.

2012

News anchor arrested on DUI charges
Amanda Davis, an anchor at WAGA in Atlanta, was driving northbound in the southbound lane of Piedmont Avenue near 14th Street in Midtown around 12:20 a.m. when the crash occurred, according to Atlanta police spokesman Gregory Lyon.

The investigating officer said he noticed that Davis smelled of alcohol. When he asked her if she had been drinking, she responded that she had, according to Lyon. During the course of the investigation, the officer determined he had reasonable cause to believe Davis was driving while impaired. Davis refused to a field sobriety test and state-administered chemical tests, Lyon said.

Former TV anchor arrested for DWI in Harlingen
Harlingen Police arrested a former Valley news anchor for driving while intoxicated early Thursday morning. Officers responded to the 3200 block of Treasure Hills Boulevard at 2:20 a.m., in reference to a car accident.

When they arrived, they found a blue 2006 Porsche Cayenne, driven by Peter Torgerson, 56, that had struck a parked car. The officer noticed Torgerson had blood shoot eyes, slurred speech, poor balance, and the strong smell of alcohol on his breath. Torgerson refused to take a breathylizer test. He faced a judge Thursday morning and was issued a $500 bond.

Torgerson was a longtime television anchor for the 5 p.m. evening news at KRGV. He quit in 1999 after winning the $37 million dollar Texas Lottery, along with a friend.

Former ABC anchor arrested for DUI
Sam Donaldson, a former anchor and reporter for ABC News, was arrested for DUI earlier this month in Delaware. Donaldson, 78, was arrested on December 1 in Lewes, Delaware. Donaldson is still an ABC News contributor and analyst.

Details are still coming in, so stay tuned to KLTV.com for the latest updates.

Former Tulsa TV Anchor Arrested On Meth Complaint
A former Tulsa TV news anchor was arrested on a drug complaint late Sunday night after officers searched his pickup truck following a traffic stop. According to jail records, a Tulsa Police officer stopped the pickup driven by Jerry Giordano just before midnight Sunday near 41st and South Harvard after the officer noticed it had an expired tag.

As the officer was doing an inventory of the pickup, he found a baggie in the driver’s seat containing a “dirty crystalline substance.” The officer wrote that he also found a baggie of “white crystalline substance” in the driver side door panel and a “large rock of crystalline substance” in the driver side door handle.

2013

KTSM anchor Adrienne Alvarez arrested on battery charge
Local TV news anchor Adrienne Alvarez was arrested Aug. 1 after police arrived at her home for a domestic violence incident. The 28-year old was charged with battery against a household member and was booked into the Doa Ana County Detention Center. She was released on bond at about 5 a.m. Aug. 1.

“We are aware of the arrest but will wait for more details before making any other comments,” Gary Sotir, general manager for KTSM/KDBC said in a statement.

KVIA morning weatherman arrested for alleged public intox, disorderly conduct
Channel 7-KVIA morning meterologist Jorge Torres was arrested early Sunday for allegedly causing a disturbance while drunk.

Jail records show Torres, 26, was booked on suspicion of public intoxication and disorderly conduct. He was released from the El Paso County Jail on Sunday evening after posting a $1,000 bond.

WISN’s Dan Needles arrested in domestic violence case
WISN-TV (Channel 12) sports director Dan Needles was arrested in connection with a domestic violence incident in Waukesha, police said Monday. Waukesha Police Sgt. Dave Wanner said Needles was arrested on Sunday and posted bail and was released.

On its website, WISN said Needles was arrested after an argument with his girlfriend in their home.

WLOS reporter John Le and wife arrested, both charged with misdemeanor assault
WLOS reporter John Le and his wife, Elizabeth Alicia Le, were both arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault early Saturday morning. An arrest warrant shows the two were arrested at their Brevard apartment about 1 a.m. on Saturday morning.

There is no other detail about the incident on the written report.

Greenwich Meteorologist Bill Evans, Wife Charged In Domestic Dispute
Old Greenwich resident and WABC-TV meteorologist Bill Evans and his wife, Dana, both face third-degree assault and disorderly conduct charges after an incident in their home, according to Greenwich police. Both Bill and Dana Evans turned themselves in to police after warrants were issued for their arrests in connection with an altercation that reportedly took place May 4, according to the police report.

Each was released on a promise to appear in Stamford Superior Court on June 17, according to the police report.

2014

Ex-CBS 2 anchor cleared of choking wife
Disgraced TV anchor Rob Morrison squirmed his way out of wife-choking charges Thursday, as a judge let him withdraw his guilty plea in return for finishing a domestic violence class. The former WCBS-Channel 2 anchor — who resigned after the February 2013 attack — saw all the domestic violence charges melt away at a brief hearing in a Stamford, Conn. court. He’s now ready to start anew, his lawyer said.

“He’ll end up with zero criminal record,” said Francis DiScala.

Shreveport Anchor Arrested for Drunk Driving
KTBS/Channel 3/Shreveport anchor Jody Lowery was arrested in Red River Parish for DWI on July 31st. State police booked Lowery under her full name: Jody Lowery Waldo. Lowery worked in Shreveport before taking a job in Tampa. But two years ago she returned to Shreveport to anchor the late news and do some reporting duties.

Few details have been released about her arrest.

KHOU announces anchor arrested on DWI charge
A popular Houston newsman found himself in the headlines Wednesday after his arrest on a DWI charge. KHOU-Channel 11 announced on its website that Ron Trevino, the station’s morning anchor, was arrested Tuesday night. But it did not add any details about what led to the charge.

According to Harris County court records, it is the 55-year-old’s first such offense. He was released from a city jail on $500 bond and his next court date is March 19.

Fox News’ Gregg Jarrett Arrested
Jarrett appeared to be drunk, acted belligerently and wouldn’t obey police orders, according to the police report. A bystander told the officer Jarrett had said he’d taken medication, though he told the officer he hadn’t. He told the officer he had begun drinking at 9 a.m. Jarrett was placed in a holding cell, where he struggled with the officer, who was trying to handcuff him. He was subsequently charged with obstructing the legal process by interfering with a peace officer, a misdemeanor.

2015

Wichita Reporter Arrested for Domestic Violence
Wichita NBC affiliate KSNW is reporting weekend anchor and reporter Brian Miller has been arrested for destruction of property/domestic violence.

“KSN is currently investigating the situation,” the station told viewers during its evening newscasts yesterday and on its website. “While that investigation continues, Brian will not appear on KSN.”

Former SA television news anchor arrested on DWI charge
A former San Antonio TV news anchor who worked at both KSAT and KENS several years ago was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated Wednesday evening, according to a San Antonio police report.

Karen Gallagher, 56, was arrested just before 8 p.m. after a crash on Rogers Ranch on the far North Side.

In October 2011, Gallagher was sentenced to two years deferred adjudication and fined $2,000 after pleading no contest to two counts of obtaining drugs by theft.

Former Fox40 anchor Sabrina Rodriguez sentenced in shoplifting case
After pleading no contest to a single misdemeanor theft charge and agreeing to pay $2,480 in restitution, the former Fox40 anchor Sabrina Rodriguez is expected to spend 30 days wearing a monitoring device on her ankle and then try to rebuild her life.

“I just really want to move on with my life, I really do,” Rodriguez, 31, said

2016

Domestic Violence Charges Against KNTV‘s Brent Cannon Emerge
Garcia-Cannon and her husband are separated now with charges of domestic violence against him pending in a South Bay courtroom. By all accounts, things have gotten out of hand with her accusing him of various pushes and shoves, and more extreme physical behavior. According to a source close to Garcia, she has visible bruises to prove it.

Garcia-Cannon is still, somehow, anchoring the morning show at KNTV under obviously extenuating circumstances. “I don’t know how she does it–what with all this over her head,” said a source.

Channel 2 Action News reporter charged with DUI
A Channel 2 Action News reporter was charged with driving under the influence after refusing to take a Breathalyzer during a traffic stop Wednesday morning.

An Atlanta police officer said in a police report that he pulled over Tyisha Marie Fernandes at about 3 a.m. Wednesday on Piedmont Road after observing her car traveling at 66 miles per hour in a 35 miles per hour zone.

TV reporter arrested for defecating on front lawn while covering story
Jonathan Lowe was working a story for KPHO when nature called. Instead of just holding it, he walked across the street and took a squat on the neighbor’s lawn. When officers showed up at the news van, Lowe told them, “I know what you want to talk to me about.” He told cops he wasn’t feeling well and didn’t want to bother anyone by knocking on their door to use the bathroom. “I’ve been stuck in this van all day.”

He also said he couldn’t leave the area to go to a nearby Fry’s Marketplace, and accused the people who called police of just wanting to “start problems,” according to the document. Cops weren’t buying it and arrested him for public defecation.

According to a statement from KPHO’s news director, he has since been fired from his job.

2017

Kinky Details of CNN Anchor’s Central Park Arrest
CNN personality Richard Quest was arrested early Friday morning for drug possession when police found in Central Park well after the park’s 1 a.m. curfew. Sure, the initial reports said Quest told police he was carrying methamphetamime in his pocket, but leave it to the NY Post to add the really detailed details.

Not only did Quest have drugs, he also had a “rope around his neck that was tied to his genitals, and a sex toy in his boot.” That was so not in the NY Times’ account. The Post also reported, “It wasn’t immediately clear what the rope was for” and that “the officer at the scene was able to ID the drug because of ‘his prior experience as a police officer in drug arrests, observation of packaging which is characteristic of this type of drug, and defendant’s statements that… “I’ve got some meth in my pocket.”‘

WJLA anchor Autria Godfrey charged with public intoxication and trespassing
Autria Godfrey, a popular anchor at local ABC affiliate WJLA, was arrested last month and charged with public intoxication and trespassing, according to Arlington County court records, after allegedly getting into a fight in a bar and being asked to leave.

Godfrey, 33, who anchors the station’s “Good Morning Washington” show and “ABC7 News at Noon,” was charged with the two misdemeanor counts in the early-morning hours of Feb. 18 at the Clarendon Grill in Arlington, per the arrest records. A police spokeswoman said she was arrested when she returned to the bar against police warnings.

KUTV News anchor formally charged with DUI
Charges have been officially filed against KUTV News anchor Shauna Lake after she was arrested on suspicion of DUI last week.

Lake, whose full name is Shauna Lake Marshall, faces a class B misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence, a class C misdemeanor charge of using plates registered to another vehicle, a class C misdemeanor charge of open container in vehicle on highway and a vehicle registration infraction.

Police: Colleen Campbell Later Assaulted the World’s Most Patient Cop
By now, you’re probably familiar with the viral video of since-fired PHL 17 reporter Colleen Campbell ranting and raving and getting arrested outside of Helium Comedy Club on Sunday night. Earlier, we told you that the 28-year-old South Philadelphia woman had been charged with resisting arrest, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct, but now the Philadelphia Police Department is saying that it’s worse than we originally thought.

After transitioning from local news coverage in Philly to weather in West Virginia…

Colleen started in May of 2018 and – with hurricane-force winds – quickly rose to become the Chief. She did all of this while working a second job and pursuing her degree in meteorology.
— WDTV, 12/3/20

Explains why so many so-called meteorologists get the weather wrong. Campbell joined the East Texas “weather team” at CBS19 in December 2020. 

BTW — Campbell made several attempts to have our video of her removed from YouTube and in 2025, finally succeeded. The video can be found here.

2018

Former television meteorologist jailed on felony domestic violence charge
Mark Prater, who in April left his job as chief meteorologist for CBS 42, was booked into the Jefferson County Jail Wednesday just after 3 p.m. According to jail records, Prater is charged with second-degree domestic violence/stalking.

The former award-winning television personality in the past had been named Birmingham’s Best News/Weather anchor on a number of occasions. The Associated Press also named him Alabama’s Best Weathercaster in 1999.

12 News reporter allegedly flees from law enforcement, intoxicated
According to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office website, Bryan Turner West, 30, was booked into jail Thursday. The charges include one count of unlawful flight from law enforcement, a class 5 felony, and four misdemeanor DUI counts, including super DUI, which requires a BAC above 0.20.

Mr. West is a reporter for 12 News- KPNX in Phoenix.

Embarrassing moment Florida TV anchor, 28, makes fun of white officer’s baldness and boasts about her master’s degree as she is arrested for drunk driving while claiming it’s racially motivated
A black television anchorwoman has been allowed back to work despite her arrest for drunk driving, as bodycam footage obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com shows her mocking officers and accusing them of arresting her because of her race.

Farron Salley, morning and weekend anchor at West Palm Beach’s Channel 25 in Florida, was welcomed back after a two-month leave after her arrest on December 15, 2018.

After a DUI Arrest, KSPR Anchor Frances Watson Returns to TV
KSPR anchor Frances Watson has returned to the air four months after being arrested for DUI in Springfield, Mo.

“As many of you know, it’s been four months since I have been on the air. I made a bad decision resulting in my arrest for drinking and driving. I was suspended and nearly lost everything I’ve worked hard for,” she said in a lengthy Facebook post. “It hasn’t been easy. It’s embarrassing and sad really. However, I’ve made the choice to own my mistake and not hide from it,” she continued.

The station never ran a story on her arrest back in December.

2019

Domestic violence charges dropped against former FOX 13 reporter
Domestic violence charges were dropped Friday against former FOX 13 reporter Scott Madaus. Madaus, 42, was arrested on the charges on Dec. 15, 2018. According to an affidavit, Madaus and the victim began fighting at his Midtown home after drinking a few glasses of wine, which upset the victim because Madaus had been sober for 20 days.

When officers arrived, they reported seeing the home vandalized and observing a scratch on the victim’s neck.

Tulsa Anchor Arrested on DUI Charges
KOKI noon anchor Tiffany Alaniz was arrested after driving drunk and crashing her car into a utility pole. According to Tulsa police, she flipped her car on Thursday night around 11:30 p.m.

Alaniz was not injured and refused medical help. Police say she showed signs of being intoxicated and underwent field testing from officers.

Hope Woodside, former popular Utah news anchor, arrested for DUI twice in 2 days
According to arresting documents, Hope Woodside, 57, was arrested on March 29 after dispatch received a complaint that she was suspected of drinking and driving in the Jeremy Ranch area. Woodside was booked into the Summit County Jail and is facing charges of DUI, open container and failure to signal.

The next day, just before 11 p.m. troopers were dispatched to I-80 west near the Jeremy Ranch exit on a report of a vehicle that had run off the road. When the trooper arrived, he found a witness who told him the driver was now in the back seat of the car.
Documents state there is prior history of complaints against Woodside of driving under the influence.

Woodside was a news anchor for Fox 13 for more than 20 years and had worked in the industry for 35. She made the decision to leave her job at Fox 13 in September 2018.

Evansville TV reporter arrested, accused of driving while drunk
Veronica DeKett, a noon anchor and senior reporter at WEVV-TV 44 News, has been charged with two counts of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated after she was pulled over after a night of drinking. DeKett failed several roadside tests, according to the affidavit. Police said she was belligerent and argumentative at times.

She was administered a portable breath test and registered a 0.19. A second test at the jail gave the same result. The legal limit is 0.08. She was booked into Vanderburgh County’s jail shortly after 2:20 a.m. but has since been released, according to online records. An initial court hearing is scheduled for Wednesday morning at 8:30.

Station Manager Eric Stremming had no comment on DeKett’s arrest.

Tech reporter Peter Bright charged with soliciting child sex online
Tech reporter Peter Bright has been arrested for soliciting sex with children online. He was employed by Ars Technica until recently.

A federal complaint alleges that Bright sought to molest a 7- and 9-year-old and met with an undercover agent for this purpose, at which point he was arrested. It also states that Bright claimed to be in a sexual relationship with an 11-year-old. He is currently being held without bail.

Former Dateline Reporter Chris Hansen Charged With Bouncing Checks
Chris Hansen got caught. The former Dateline NBC correspondent and To Catch a Predator host who left NBC News in 2013 has been accused of bouncing checks and then failing to pay $13,000 worth of marketing materials he received from a local vendor in Connecticut. An arrest warrant was issued for Hansen, who turned himself over to police on Monday and was released without bond.

2020

New Yorker Suspends Jeffrey Toobin for Masturbating on Zoom Call
Jeffrey Toobin addresses Zoom call masturbation scandal: ‘I’ll regret it for the rest of my life’
Jeffrey Toobin is back at CNN eight months after exposing himself on Zoom
The New Yorker has suspended reporter Jeffrey Toobin for masturbating on a Zoom video chat between members of the New Yorker and WNYC radio last week. Toobin says he did not realize his video was on.

Local news anchor arrested on assault charges, Anchorage police say
Police said they took Maureen “Maria” Athens, 41, into custody Friday in the parking lot of Coastal Television Broadcasting Co. on East Tudor Road after it was reported she and a man were involved in an altercation. Athens was charged with fourth-degree assault, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct. At the arraignment, the judge ruled Athens would be banned from the property until further notice. Athens is also not allowed to have contact with the victim.

Ms. Athens’ employer, general manager Scott Centers declined to comment to Alaska’s News Source on the arrest, or whether Athens remains employed at the station.

Texas news anchor arrested on prostitution charge
A morning show anchor and reporter in Amarillo, who used to be on TV in San Antonio, was arrested on prostitution charges, according to ABC 7/KVII. Anthony Pittman, a morning anchor at ABC 7, was arrested Friday in Randall County and charged with solicitation of prostitution, a Class B misdemeanor, the station reported.

TV Anchor Arrested on Assault Charges After Allegedly Hitting Man with Beer Bottle in Fight Over Politics: Cop
A South Carolina TV news anchor normally reporting on the news was “in” the news after she was arrested on assault charges for allegedly cracking a beer bottle over a man’s head during a heated political argument, police said. The 32-year-old victim sustained injury to his face that required stitches, police said.

Kamie Jo Roesler, 28, an anchorwoman at WIS-TV in Columbia, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, according to the Sioux Falls police. The alleged victim, a 32-year-old man, told the police he and Roesler had been arguing about politics leading up to the incident, The Charlotte Observer reported.

Utah news anchor arrested for DUI
The Salt Lake Tribune reports KUTV anchorwoman Shauna Lake was arrested at Salt Lake International Airport on Friday.

She was approached by an officer while parked in a pickup. Officers requested a blood draw warrant, according to KUTV. She reportedly failed a field sobriety test, but the blood alcohol results are not yet complete. Lake was later released at the airport and sent with someone to drive her home.

This, apparently, is not Lake’s first DUI. Her first arrest happened in May 2017. There are rumors that Lake may be fired from her job. KUTV news director Michael Garber has not made any public comment on the matter.

2021

El Paso TV news anchor Tatiana Favela arrested on DWI charge near Cincinnati district
An El Paso television news anchor was arrested on a driving-while-intoxicated charge after allegedly driving erratically in the Cincinnati Avenue Entertainment District.

Tatiana Favela, 27, the weekend news anchor for Channel 9-KTSM, was arrested early Friday by an El Paso police DWI Task Force officer. The affidavit stated she declined to do a field sobriety test. “It’s against me,” she told the DWI officer, who asked her to clarify. “It’s against my privilege.”

Favela in an email on Monday stated she had “no comment at this time.”

2023

News Anchor Arrested For DUI In Maryland
NBC4 news anchor Leon Harris has seen his recent DUI arrest plastered all over the media. The 60-year-old journalist, who works in Washington, D.C., was arrested on January 29 after causing an accident and then trying to leave the scene. Harris, who once worked for CNN, rear-ended a vehicle at Bradley Boulevard and River Road in Montgomery County. The impact caused the vehicle he hit to rear-end a third vehicle. Fortunately, nobody suffered serious injuries in the crash.

Harris attempted to leave the accident scene but was caught by police. He failed both a Breathalyzer test and a sobriety test. His alcohol level was determined to be twice the state’s legal limit. An investigation into the incident is underway. During this time, Harris has been suspended from his on-air duties at NBC4.

Harris faces a total of nine criminal charges, all misdemeanors.

Former Univision sports anchor charged with murder in Corpus Christi
A former sports anchor in San Antonio has been arrested for murder in Corpus Christi, police there confirmed. Johnathan Solarte, 37, is charged with murder. He worked formerly as a sports anchor at Univision. 

Police said Solarte got into an argument with a 35-year-old family member. The argument turned into a physical fight and at some point, Solarte shot the victim, police said. The victim was transported to a hospital where he died.

In March of 2017, while Solarte was employed at Univision in San Antonio, he was arrested after refusing to stop when a Bexar County Sheriff’s deputy tried to pull him over. But the District Attorney’s Office dismissed the felony evading arrest case and he was not charged or indicted for the crime.

South Dakota reporter arrested, fired for using Gov. Kristi Noem’s phone number to make prank call
The Stanley County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that Austin Goss, the capitol bureau reporter for Dakota News Now, had been arrested Thursday morning and released on a personal recognizance bond. Dakota News Now and KOTA Territory News, which employed Goss, issued a joint statement at about 3:30 p.m. Thursday, which announced the termination of the reporter.

Documents say the call came from a website called PrankDial, which was able to make it appear as though the call was coming from Noem’s cell phone. The call was reportedly made around 8:30 p.m. Jan. 22. Goss was charged with “making threatening, harassing, misleading contacts,” a class 1 misdemeanor. The maximum penalty could be one year’s imprisonment and $2,000 in fines.

Goss nor his attorney wanted to talk on the record.

KSAT reporter arrested on suspicion of DWI
KSAT reporter John Paul Barajas was arrested early Sunday on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. The charge is a Class B misdemeanor.

According to a blood draw warrant from the San Antonio Police Department, Barajas was pulled over for speeding and drifting outside the lane of traffic in the 11000 block of Interstate 10 just before 2 a.m. on Sunday. SAPD said he refused a breathalyzer and was taken into custody without incident.

“KSAT12 is aware of an incident regarding one of our employees being arrested for alleged driving under the influence on November 5th, 2023,” said Ashley Parker, VP/GM of KSAT12. “We ask that you respect the privacy of all involved and refrain from speculation or conjecture.”

2024

News anchor in Texas accused of breaking boyfriend’s nose after drinking margaritas
A TV news anchor in Texas was arrested on domestic violence charges after police said she broke her boyfriend’s nose. Heather Kovar was arrested Monday night in College Station.

According to court records, Kovar was drinking margaritas at a Mexican food restaurant when she got into an argument with her boyfriend over relationship issues they’ve been having. They went back to her apartment across from the Texas A&M University campus where TAMUPD said the fight turned physical. Kovar punched him 12 times in the face, bit his left arm and scratched his other arm, according to court documents.

Columbia TV journalist arrested on child pornography charges
The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office says Matt Vereen, 28, was arrested on Wednesday and taken to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. He is a journalist at television station WACH-TV.

Vereen was charged with three charges connected to the sexual exploitation of a minor: two counts in the second degree and another count in the third degree. Arrest warrants state that child sexual abuse material involving an underage girl was found on his Apple laptop during a search warrant on Wednesday.  Vereen’s LinkedIn page states he has worked as a sports anchor and reporter for WACH-TV for nearly three years. Prior to this, he worked as a sports reporter and anchor at KOLR, a news station in Springfield, Missouri.

WACH-TV said Friday that Vereen has been placed on suspension.

Ex-Local4 news anchor found guilty for alleged threats through texts, emails
A former central Nebraska news anchor has been found guilty of charges of terrorizing a woman through texts and emails.

Joseph Scanlan, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of attempt of a class 4 felony and two counts of intimidation by phone call or electronic device. All counts are misdemeanors.

In exchange for his plea, the latter count was reduced from felony terroristic threats.

2025

Former News Anchor Charged with Murder After Allegedly Stabbing and Killing Her 80-Year-Old Mother
A former news anchor has been charged with murder after she allegedly stabbed and killed her elderly mother.
Police responded to a “reported cutting” at a residence in Wichita, Kan., at about 7:52 a.m. local time on Friday, Oct. 31, per a media release shared on Facebook by the Sedgwick County Police Department (SCPD).
Upon arrival, police found a woman — who was later identified as 47-year-old Angelynn “Angie” Mock— standing outside the home. They then entered the residence and found Mock’s mother, Anita Avers, 80, “unresponsive in her bed with multiple stab wounds.”

FOX 26 Houston anchor Isiah Carey arrested for DWI — again
Award-winning FOX 26 Houston news anchor Isiah Carey, whose full name is Isiah Carey Arbuckle, was arrested overnight for driving while intoxicated, according to Montgomery County jail records. This is the 55-year-old’s second DWI arrest in recent years.

Host of the station’s Isiah Factor Uncensored, Carey was taken into custody around 3:50 a.m. on Friday and later booked into the Montgomery County Jail on his second DWI charge. The charge is classified as a Class A misdemeanor. He is being held with a bail set at $1,000. Further information about Carey’s arrest was not yet available by the time of this writing. FOX 26 did not provide a comment on Carey’s arrest. The station noted he will not be on the air tonight and there will be a re-run of one of his shows instead as he was already scheduled for time off.

South Florida news reporter turns himself into Miami police following Rolex theft, pawning
A South Florida man has been arrested for allegedly stealing a pricy watch from a neighbor. According to police, 29-year-old Michael Hudak is accused of stealing a $16,000 Rolex from his neighbor while the latter was traveling abroad.

Hudak is a reporter for WSVN-ABC Miami in South Florida.

He was taken to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where his bond was listed as “to be set” as of Thursday afternoon.

WSVN said in a statement that Hudak “has been suspended without pay at this time.”

Ex-news anchor sentenced to 10 years in prison for federal conspiracy charge
Stephanie Hockridge, a former news anchor, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for federal conspiracy. The charges are in connection with Blueacorn, a paycheck protection program loan processing company during the pandemic, in which Hockridge was a co-founder. The judge ordered $64 million in restitution in the case, which will be forwarded to the Small Business Administration, which ran the PPP loan program. Hockridge and the other defendants will be jointly responsible for paying.

Hockridge, who worked as an ABC15 news anchor from 2011 to 2018, was acquitted of four counts of wire fraud but convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in June 2025.

Former Rapid City news anchor receives a suspended imposition of sentence
On Thursday in Sturgis, Shad Olson who was a TV news anchor at KOTA and KNBN, was arrested on a domestic violence charge. was sentenced after pleading no contest to simple assault – domestic violence for an incident that occurred in February 2024.

The state was asking for a 180-day suspended jail sentence, and the judge gave Olson a suspended imposition of sentence.

Olson is required to attend anger management counseling, consent to search and seizure, consume no alcohol for the next 365 days, and have no contact with the victim or the victim’s address.

Former KTVU anchor arrested for fourth time following altercation with daughter
A former Bay Area news anchor was arrested this week on suspicion of assault with serious bodily injury after a physical altercation involving his daughter, according to a social media post and jail records.

Frank Somerville, 67, a former mainstay anchor for KTVU in Oakland, said in a now-deleted Facebook post that he was taken into custody Monday evening after a fight with his daughter. Alameda County jail records showed that Somerville was in custody at Santa Rita Jail on Tuesday morning.

2026

KOAT Reporter Arrested for DWI Early This Morning
Award-winning KOAT Channel 7 reporter and weekend anchor Julian Paras is facing some criminal charges related to an alleged drunk-driving incident. Paras admitted to consuming a few alcoholic drinks prior to driving.

While speaking face-to-face with the driver about the reason for the traffic stop, the officer reported detecting a strong odor of alcohol on the driver’s breath and continued to observe signs of impairment, including bloodshot and watery eyes.

After completion of booking paperwork, Paras was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center.

Of course, seeing how news directors are the ultimate gatekeepers as to what is considered presentable to the public, we really have no idea just how many other journalists and news personalities have been busted. Many links to stories suspiciously come up as a “404 error”.

Media professionals salivate at the opportunity to report on any of us, no matter how devastating it is personally and professionally. But they get all protective of their private information when their activities put them in the spotlight.

Sucks, don’t it?

But Rick is not just your average poster boy for media bias. He used his position in the media as a club and inflicted real world damage with casualties.

Let’s not forget how he may have stymied Rush Limbaugh’s bid to become one of the owners of the St. Louis Rams football team in 2009.

Limbaugh’s perceived racist diatribes are too many to name but here’s a sampling: He once declared that had “Slavery built the South. I’m not saying we should bring it back; I’m just saying it had its merits. For one thing, the streets were safer after dark,” said Limbaugh.
— Rick Sanchez, 10/12/09

After being alerted to the fact he repeated a defamatory, unverified quote on the air and the possibility of a lawsuit by Limbaugh, Sanchez offered a half-assed apology where he partially blamed his “staff”. Like any warning they may have given could have stopped Rick from backing off of a big target.

Rush later brought up an interesting point.

Rick “DUI, Leaving the Scene” Sanchez. Now on CNN every afternoon, spreading filth and lies, knowingly … like many journalists, he can’t take the kind of investigation or coverage he dishes out and the rest of his people dish out. They head to the tall grass, hide behind executives. I know ordinary people go to jail for this. But he was friends with the cops! As a TV reporter, he was friends with the cops. He got preferential treatment.
— Rush Limbaugh, 10/14/09

So-called journalists will go after a subject with vicious determination but if one were to examine their pasts, we all know they’d get bent out of shape if we had access to their driving records, domestic abuse filings, defaults, credit dings, etc.

Rick Sanchez doesn’t talk much about his past and with good reason.

Minutes after midnight on the morning of December 10, 1990, an intoxicated Jeffrey Smuzinick darted out in front of a Volvo on a residential street near Joe Robbie Stadium. The driver of the car, WSVN-TV Channel 7 anchorman Rick Sanchez, became the subject of a subsequent January 16 New Times story that described the odd circumstances of the accident. Sanchez, whom a Metro-Dade police officer said “smelled strongly of alcohol,” first stopped his car but then later left the scene. A blood test to determine Sanchez’s sobriety was not administered until an hour and fifteen minutes after the collision. Though Sanchez says he tried to aid Smuzinick at the scene of the accident and flag down motorists, eyewitnesses claim the anchorman ignored the injured man and loudly told police and bystanders that blood tests were pointless, and would hurt his public image.

Best known for his stint as a sometimes-melodramatic correspondent on Channel 7’s “Crime Check,” Sanchez continues his work on the station’s evening and late newscasts while awaiting a September 13 court date on misdemeanor drunk-driving charges. His attorney, Richard Essen, now says the anchorman returned home and had “a couple of drinks to calm his nerves” before returning to the scene.
— Miami New Times, 8/7/91

Like most news personalities, Sanchez expected and apparently received special treatment.

Sanchez will be defended by Richard Essen, whose courtroom successes in DUI cases have been featured on CBS-TV’s 60 Minutes. If convicted, Sanchez faces six months in prison and a $500 fine. He has no prior DUI arrests. Sanchez will not comment on the case, Essen said on Friday.

But in January, Sanchez was quoted in the Miami newspaper New Times as saying he had police permission to go home. The article indicated that police denied Sanchez’s story.
— South Florida Sun Sentinel, 2/16/91

What has raised questions is the police handling of the accident. Before becoming an anchor on WSVN-Ch. 7, Sanchez was a reporter responsible for the station’s “Crime Check” reports. During that segment, he would take TV viewers to crime scenes, where he not only reported on the news but also seemed to be part of the action. Smuzinick’s friends and family think police gave special treatment to Sanchez because of his “Crime Check” coverage.

Officers let Sanchez leave the scene and drive to his Pembroke Pines home, ostensibly to pick up his driver’s license. He returned 20 minutes later. A blood test was not administered until one hour and 15 minutes after the accident. Sanchez’s blood alcohol level registered .15 — legally drunk.
— South Florida Sun Sentinel, 10/6/91

The story didn’t end well for Mr. Smuzinick.

Jeffrey Smuzinick, who was left paralyzed after being struck by the car of Channel 7 anchor Rick Sanchez, died Monday in a Pennsylvania nursing home. He was 36. Smuzinick was injured Dec. 10, 1990, after he ran out into traffic following a Dolphins football game. He was struck by a 1991 Volvo driven by Sanchez. Smuzinick suffered severe head injuries and was in a coma for many months.
— Miami Herald, 11/2/95

We can go down the list of so-called journalists who’ve run afoul of common decency, let alone the law, and for some strange reason they’re able to land new high-paying gigs and keep their pasts, as best they can, out of public view.

Rick Sanchez is back on the air! His viewers are back on the edge of their seats! But Miami’s famously flamboyant anchorman isn’t broadcasting news from his famously factious hometown. Sanchez hosts a prime-time show which would seem completely at odds with his staunch anti-communist upbringing: He is now a TV star for RT America, the state-funded Russian network that media analysts and U.S. intelligence officials have derided as a propaganda tool for the Russian government.
— Miami Herald, 5/23/19

They demand transparency from politicians, law enforcement, the public; pretty much anyone they come in professional contact with.

But what Rick Sanchez and many others are best at is making sure transparency and accountability stops within arms length of them and their actions.