UPDATE: More information has been released about the arrest of Austin Watson over the weekend, from the Tennessean:
According to an arrest affidavit, just after 7 p.m. that day, a Franklin police officer was flagged down by a witness for a possible domestic situation at the Shell Station on Murfreesboro Road.
When the officer responded, he noticed a vehicle at the station whose passenger was trying to “back away from being shoved away,” the affidavit states. “The passenger said ‘stop’ and was trying to cover her face.”
When the officer made contact with the driver, later identified as Watson, he said that he and his girlfriend, who was the passenger, were having an argument about her drinking and not being able to attend a wedding, the officer wrote in the affidavit.
At the scene, the affidavit continues, Watson admitted to pushing his girlfriend and the officer said he noticed red marks on her chest.
The Predators have released a statement on the arrest of Austin Watson:
We are aware of the incident involving Austin Watson on Saturday night. We are still gathering facts and it is not appropriate for us to comment further at this time, but this is a matter that we are taking very seriously and will cooperate fully with the investigation by law enforcement. The Nashville Predators have and will continue to stand side by side with AMEND (sic) in the fight to end violence against women.
A report coming from Predneck Nation—and verified by a member of the Franklin Police Department — is that Austin Watson of the Nashville Predators was arrested for domestic assault over the weekend.
From prednecknation.com:
Nashville Predators forward Austin Watson was arrested for domestic assault this past weekend in Franklin. According to a source, Watson allegedly struck a woman and was taken into custody shortly thereafter at the Shell station in front of the Franklin Cracker Barrel.
Public Information Officer for the Franklin Police Department Lt. Charles Warner confirmed:
“Austin Watson, 26, of Nashville, was arrested on 6/16/2018 at 7:20pm outside of 1410 Murfreesboro Rd. Mr. Watson was charged with Domestic Assault. He is free on a $4,500 bond and due in court on 6/28/2018 at 1pm.”
This is disturbing news, to say the least. Watson just recently signed a three-year deal and is a mainstay in Nashville, but this news probably affects that tremendously.
We will update this story with more information as it comes out.
Edit: an earlier version of this story, as reported by Predneck Nation, indicated the identity of the woman that Watson is alleged to have assaulted. This report has been updated to remove the name of the woman.