The Miami Dolphins announced Tuesday that they have released running back Mark Walton, the team’s leading rusher who is serving a four-game suspension, after being made aware of a “police matter” involving the second-year NFL player.
According to multiple reports, police in Davie, Fla., charged Walton with aggravated battery of a pregnant person after an incident involving his girlfriend, who is five weeks pregnant and only told Walton about the pregnancy on Sunday. At around 4:15 a.m. Tuesday, police say, Walton pushed his unnamed girlfriend “against a wall and punched her several times in the head and face” after getting into an argument, leaving her with swelling on her left eye.
Walton’s suspension, which was announced earlier this month, stems from multiple violations of the NFL’s conduct and substance abuse policies before he arrived in Miami. Walton was arrested three times this past offseason in South Florida after his rookie season with the Cincinnati Bengals, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2018 draft but released him after the arrests. Walton agreed to a plea deal after the three criminal cases against him were combined, receiving probation.
Walton was arrested on drug charges in January, battery in February and a felony weapons charge in March, one in which he also was charged with resisting arrest, reckless driving and marijuana possession after leading police on a car chase.
Walton had rushed for 201 yards on 53 carries for the Dolphins, starting four games.
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