‘Ray Donovan’ Actor Allegedly Attacked Jogger With Fire Extinguisher

Actor Octavius J. Johnson has been arrested for an alleged assault with a fire extinguisher. Law enforcement sources told TMZ that they believe Johnson threw the heavy metal object at a female jogger. However, the Burbank City Attorney’s Office rejected the case due to insufficient evidence.

Police responded to a call from a woman who said that she had been attacked with a fire extinguisher and ended up finding Johnson in their search. The alleged victim reportedly identified Johnson as the culprit. When police tried to detain him, they said Johnson fled the scene, leading them on a short chase on foot. Finally, they booked him for assault with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest.

Once inside, Johnson complicated the case further by reportedly damaging his holding cell. Police said that the actor violently struck the phone box with the handheld receiver, breaking it. They added a vandalism charge to his arrest.

Sources in the state and local legal system said that the case first went to the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office, but it was referred to the Burbank City Attorney’s Office instead. While that office rejected the assault case, it is now reviewing the vandalism allegation. That could mean misdemeanor prosecution for Johnson.
Johnson’s manager, Danny Estrada gave a statement to TMZ, where he did not deny the allegations against his client. He said: “Octavius has been dealing with mental health issues and is currently getting the help he needs.”

For many fans, Johnson is best-known for playing Marvin Gaye Washington on Showtime’s Ray Donovan. He was on the series’ cast for the first two seasons, from 2013 to 2014. He played an aspiring musician and friend of Bridget Donovan (Kerris Dorsey), who finds himself as the unfortunate victim of the title character’s schemes.

Johnson made appearances on other dramas, including Intelligence, NCIS, Scorpion and Roots. He has also appeared in movies including Diary of an Ex-Child Star, Four Sundays in Spring, Coldwater, 59 Seconds, Sleepless, Burning Sands, Sable and Shook. The last of those is a horror movie released just last week on the streaming service Shudder.

According to his IMDb bio, Johnson comes originally from Baltimore, Maryland, where he found his way into the entertainment industry as an extra on HBO’s The Wire. He was not formally credited for that role, but it led him to his ongoing success in Hollywood. Johnson is not active on social media, and so far has not issued a public statement on his arrest.