Former Disney Channel star Orlando Brown has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor assault charges after being arrested following an alleged altercation in Lima, Ohio. The actor, who most memorably starred as Eddie Thomas in the Raven-Symoné-led series That’s So Raven, was taken into custody Thursday morning and held on $25,000 bond, according to Allen County Sheriff’s Office records.
Friday, the 35-year-old was arraigned in Lima Municipal Court and charged with aggravated menacing, to which he pleaded not guilty according to the Los Angeles Times. Police told the Times they had been called to a home in Lima where they witnessed a verbal argument they feared could turn violent. The Two of a Kind star was reportedly involved in an altercation with a man named Matthew Sanders, reported TMZ.
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The outlet reported that Sanders allegedly told police he had been letting Brown live in a home he was renovating because the actor is homeless. He reportedly told police that Brown had begun acting “crazy” while at the house, accusing him of raping his wife and allegedly trying to attack him with a broken-off knife blade and a hammer. No contact was made, however, and Brown allegedly put the weapons down eventually.
This is the latest of Brown’s numerous legal problems, which date back to 2007. In 2018, the actor was arrested multiple times for charges ranging from burglary and drug possession to resisting a public officer and domestic battery. He has also been in and out of medical and rehabilitation facilities, reaching out in 2018 to Dr. Phil McGraw for help with his substance use problems.
Appearing on Dr. Phil to discuss his issues, Brown told McGraw he had struggled with alcohol and drugs, including marijuana and crystal methamphetamine, over the years. “Just the influence and the demons that come with that drug kind of took over,” Brown said. “I just found myself in a dark place because I couldn’t really find everybody. It’s kinda like looking for your keys, when you stop looking, they’re right there type of deal. I started to realize what was in front of me. From there, now I’m good.”
