Photo: Diy13 / iStock / Getty Images
Broward County, FL - A former Major League Baseball star is in hot water after an alleged violent altercation in South Florida.
According to reports, 47-year-old Rafael Furcal, a retired MLB shortstop and three-time All-Star, turned himself in to Broward County authorities on Wednesday following an incident that reportedly occurred two days earlier in Sunrise.
Court records state Furcal faces two second-degree felony charges for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and throwing a potentially harmful object into an occupied vehicle or dwelling.
Authorities say the altercation took place May 12th when Furcal allegedly threw a rock that struck a person’s hand during a confrontation.
While further details have not been released by the Sunrise Police Department, Furcal claimed in a statement that he was acting in self-defense after being approached by a knife-wielding individual.
Furcal, who resides in Weston, was released on a $7,500 bond.
At the time of this report, no attorney has been listed in court filings, and his former agent declined to comment on Monday's arrest.
This isn't Furcal's first run-in with the law.
Public records show he was arrested for DUI in Georgia in 2000 and 2004.
The Dominican-born athlete began his Major League career in 2000 with the Atlanta Braves, where he won Rookie of the Year.
He later played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals, winning a World Series with the Cardinals in 2011.
Furcal briefly joined the Miami Marlins in 2014 before retiring the following year.
The case remains active as police continue their investigation into Monday's incident.