FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Mark Walton appeared before a Broward County judge Wednesday morning, one day after his arrest on an aggravated battery charge.
The troubled NFL running back was ordered to be held in jail in lieu of a $10,000 bond.
"I find probable cause," Judge Jackie Powell said during a bond hearing.
Walton is accused of pushing a pregnant woman against a wall and punching her several times in the face and head. He was arrested Tuesday morning by Davie police.
According to a probable cause affidavit, the incident took place two days after Walton learned that he is the father of the woman's unborn child.
The arrest was Walton's fourth this year.
"While we dispute the veracity of the charges, we would agree that there is probable cause," Walton's defense attorney, Mike Gottlieb, told Powell.
The former University of Miami player was released by the Miami Dolphins hours after the team learned of Walton's arrest. He had already been serving a four-game suspension by the NFL for a violation of the league's substance abuse policy.
Powell also ordered Walton to surrender any guns and his concealed weapons permit, to undergo a substance abuse evaluation and not to have any contact with the victim.
"He is being monitored for a drug problem through the NFL, so I don't really have a problem with it, but I don't think it's necessary either," Gottlieb said of the conditions for Walton's release.
Outside the courtroom, Gottlieb denied the allegations but refused to divulge what happened.
"That's attorney-client privilege," Gottlieb told Local 10 News reporter Trent Kelly. "It's not anything that I'm going to explain at this point in time, but he did deny touching the young lady at any point in time."
Gottlieb also said he's hopeful Walton will be back on an NFL field soon.
"Mr. Walton is an exceptional running back, and we're looking forward to, you know, him hopefully signing with another team," Gottlieb said.