As Teen Mom OG star Amber Portwood works through her latest courtroom drama, it turns out her ex-husband, Gary Shirley recently dealt with his own legal issues as well. Portwood and Shirley have a troubled past and a tenuous relationship, sharing responsibility for Portwood’s elder child, Leah. While Portwood stands accused of domestic violence once again, Shirley now has a grievous stain on his driving record.
Shirley was pulled over in the state of Indiana on May 5, according to court records obtained by Yahoo Entertainment News. He was cited for driving over 55 miles per hour and for violating the restrictions on window tints on his car. There is no word on the speed limit where Shirley was driving.
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Shirley was originally scheduled to appear in court this week. However, the reality star reached a deal with the state before he had to go before a judge. Shirley paid a $252 fine to close the case on his driving violation.
By all appearances, this brush with the law falls far short of Portwood’s latest issues. The mother of two is facing three felony charges stemming from a recent incident of allege domestic abuse against her boyfriend, Andrew Glennon.
Police were called to Portwood and Glennon’s home on July 5, after Glennon contacted emergency services with a text message. Portwood is accused of welding a machete against Glennon, and then later of striking him with a shoe while he was holding onto their 1-year-old son, James.
These allegations have led to serious charges against Portwood, including domestic battery, criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon and domestic battery committed in the presence of a child less than 16 years old. This is not Portwood’s first offense, either — she has been convicted of domestic abuse before, against Shirley when they were together.
All three of Portwood’s charges are Level 6 felonies, which means that they each carry a sentence of six months to two and a half years in prison if she is found guilty. That could add up to as much as seven and a half years behind bars for Portwood.
Meanwhile, the judge also granted Glennon a no-contact order in light of the domestic abuse case. This temporary restraining order prevents Portwood from getting close to either Glennon or James during these criminal proceedings. Glennon has also filed a special request to get sole legal and physical custody of James.
In spite of their history, Shirley has shown his support for Portwood in this latest legal battle. He posted a message of support on social media after news of her arrest broke.
“My prayers are with @AmberLPortwood, Andrew, & most importantly baby James, idk any of the particulars, however I’m thinking of them,” he wrote.
