Bruce Maxwell indicted on gun charge after arrest in Arizona

Oakland Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell has been indicted by an Arizona grand jury. (AP)
Oakland Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell has been indicted by an Arizona grand jury. (AP)

The legal troubles are just beginning for Oakland A’s catcher Bruce Maxwell, the first MLB player to take a knee during the national anthem.

According to NBC Bay Area’s Joe Stiglich, Maxwell has been indicted by a grand jury in Arizona and will face charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and disorderly conduct.

The indictment stems from his Oct. 28 arrest in Scottsdale, Arizona. According to the police report, a Postmates delivery driver called police saying a person, later identified as Maxwell, opened the door and pointed a gun at her face. Maxwell acknowledged the gun, telling her not to worry about it before accepting his order and closing the door.

Maxwell was originally compliant with responding police officers, according to the report, but later became resistant. One officer readied his taser, while at least two others pointed their firearms at Maxwell while he was handcuffed and placed under arrest. The report notes Maxwell showed signs of intoxication during his arrest.

The 26-year-old catcher made headlines in September when he became the first major league baseball player to kneel during the national anthem. At the time, Maxwell said he was kneeling for those who “didn’t have a voice in the face of social injustice.”

Three weeks ago, Maxwell made news again when he accused an Alabama waiter of recognizing him and refusing to serve him because of his decision to kneel. Maxwell said the waiter was a supporter of President Donald Trump. The waiter has since refuted that story, calling Maxwell’s story an “absolute lie.” It’s also been reported Maxwell made anti-police statements prior to his arrest.

Maxwell’s arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday in Maricopa County Superior Court. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted, though it’s noted many factors will be taken into consideration, which could lead to a lesser punishment. There’s also the looming possibility that Major League Baseball will hand down a suspension prior to the 2018 season.

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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!