Tuscaloosa police officer charged with violating restraining order after ex-wife's alleged strangulation, sodomy
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- A
Tuscaloosa Police officer is back in jail, charged with violating a restraining
order stemming from the alleged sodomy and strangulation of his ex-wife in
August.
The accused, Jimmy Darrell
Smith, was arrested in August and charged with two counts of first-degree
sodomy and one of domestic violence - strangulation. His ex-wife alleged that
he threw her into a chair and choked her from behind and that he sexually
assaulted her twice.
TPD's Sgt. Brent Blankley said
after the arrest that Smith had worked as a patrol officer for the department
since 2010, and that he was placed on administrative leave by the police
department after he was charged.
Smith was out on bond shortly
after his arrest, and a protective order was issued and served, mandating that
he stay away from his ex-wife.
Sgt. Dale Phillips, the
commander of the Tuscaloosa County Metro Homicide Unit, said Smith violated the
restraining order on October 11. The facts of the violation were presented to a
magistrate Wednesday, and a warrant for Smith's arrest was issued.
Phillips said sheriff's
deputies arrested Smith and took him to the Tuscaloosa County Jail. His bond
for violating the order was set at $3,000, but the $65,000 bond he paid after
the August charges has been revoked. Smith remained in jail Wednesday night.
According to electronic court
documents, Smith and the alleged victim married in 2000 and have two children
together, but grew apart and divorced in 2013.