Tripp Swinney is not having as good of a week as his brother, Dabo. As Dabo prepares Clemson for a shot at the program’s first national championship since 1982, Henry “Tripp” Swinney III was arrested on Tuesday in Panama City Beach, Fla., on charges of aggravated stalking, according to the Panama City News Herald.
Bay County Sheriff’s Office warrants deputies took Swinney into custody in connection with allegations from October when his estranged wife, who lives in Panama City Beach, said he repeatedly harassed and cyberstalked her, court records indicate.
According to BCSO, Swinney’s estranged wife warned him Oct. 7 that she would file for a divorce and told him to stop calling, emailing or texting her. About a week later, Swinney was served in his hometown of Snellville, Ga., with a Bay County civil injunction against domestic violence, which was upheld later in a final judgment, court records state.
However, Swinney allegedly continued to “maliciously” text his estranged wife, deputies wrote. He also is accused of sending her nude images of herself, “causing her substantial emotional distress and serving no legitimate purpose,” BCSO added.
The victim, who declined to be identified, said the texts and pictures were sent to intimidate her to not show up for the injunction hearing. She said most nights she would have several threatening voice messages until a judge put a permanent restraining order in place.
As noted by WYFF 4, the Clemson head coach has been willing to discuss his upbringing and family situation in the past, mentioning his father’s battle with alcohol, the family’s run-ins with the law and Tripp’s horrific car accident as a 16-year-old in 1984. He had a long recovery after suffering brain damage and struggling with memory loss over the last three decades.
He is being held on $15,000 bond after an initial court appearance on Wednesday and is set to be arraigned on Feb. 9.
[Reddit]