A California court has issued a five-year restraining order against actor Zachery Ty Bryan after his former girlfriend accused him of assault and threats during their brief relationship, according to court records obtained by TMZ.
The order was granted after she reported to police that Bryan, 44, struck her in the head during an incident on July 3.
She told authorities the actor hit her in the right temple after she playfully bit his nipple, prompting her to contact law enforcement.
In a separate report filed days later, she said she feared for her safety following a verbal confrontation in which Bryan allegedly threatened her life.
According to her statement, he told her, "Shut the f**k up or I'm gonna shut you up."
She also alleged that Bryan locked himself in a room with their dog and punched through the door, breaking it from its frame.
The woman said the pair had dated for approximately three months. During that time, she claimed Bryan once sprayed their dog in the face with bleach.
Bryan, best known for his role as Brad Taylor on the 1990s sitcom "Home Improvement," has faced multiple domestic violence allegations in recent years.
In October 2020, he was arrested in Oregon after reportedly choking his then-fiancée during an argument, TMZ reported at the time.
He was charged with two felonies and six misdemeanors, later pleading guilty to menacing and fourth-degree assault in February 2021 as part of a plea agreement that reduced the charges to two misdemeanors, the New York Post reported.
At the time, Bryan described the 2020 case as exaggerated.
"We didn't even really get that physical," he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2023. "We got really loud. We were screaming and because we were in a townhome that had [thin walls], everybody could hear.
"Johnnie was, at the time, just really upset about my situation. At the end of the day, [the police] throw a bunch of counts at you because they ultimately want you to plead to something."
He said he accepted responsibility for his actions but viewed the experience as a lesson.
"I thank God for that," Bryan said. "I went through a situation that I'm sure plenty of people across the globe experience with their partners, and that was a learning experience."
Bryan also told the outlet he was participating in Self-Management and Recovery Training classes as part of a court requirement stemming from prior DUI arrests.
He admitted to struggling with alcohol use: "I definitely have an issue with drinking," though he said he does not identify as an alcoholic.
Bryan's legal troubles continued earlier this year when he was arrested in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on New Year's Day.
Police said he allegedly assaulted a woman and threatened to kill her during an altercation. TMZ reported that he "punched a woman multiple times and threatened to kill her" before being taken into custody.
That case remains pending as of November 2025.
The newly issued restraining order bars Bryan from contacting his former girlfriend for the next five years.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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