Former Major League Baseball infielder Rafael Furcal, known for his time with the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers, is facing [1] two felony charges following an incident in Florida earlier this week.
The 47-year-old turned himself in to authorities at the Broward County Jail on Wednesday, according to arrest records obtained by The New York Post.
The charges stem from a Monday altercation in which Furcal allegedly threw a dangerous object into an occupied vehicle.
Under Florida law, specifically statute 790.19, throwing “a stone or other hard substance which would produce death or great bodily harm” qualifies as throwing a deadly missile, a second-degree felony.
Furcal is also facing a charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Speaking to Dominican broadcaster Tenchy Rodriguez on Z101, Furcal claimed he acted in self-defense, stating that he had been attacked by a man with a knife and that he struck the assailant with a rock, hitting him in the hand.
Law enforcement has not yet publicly released additional details about the alleged incident or confirmed Furcal’s account.
Furcal was released on bond following his arrest.
The incident reportedly occurred shortly after he returned from dropping off his son, Rafael Furcal Jr., at San Jacinto College in Texas, where the younger Furcal is a freshman on the baseball team.
Furcal’s former agent, Paul Kinzer, declined to comment on the situation when contacted by the Associated Press.
This is not the first time Furcal has faced legal trouble. During his professional baseball career, he was arrested twice in Georgia for driving under the influence, once in 2000 and again in 2004.
Furcal had a 14-year career in Major League Baseball, debuting with the Atlanta Braves in 2000.
He won National League Rookie of the Year honors that season.
He later played for the Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals, earning a World Series ring with St. Louis in 2011. Furcal made three All-Star appearances over his career.
He last played professionally in 2014, appearing in nine games for the Miami Marlins. He officially announced his retirement in 2015.
Over the course of his career, Furcal posted a .281 batting average, .346 on-base percentage, and .402 slugging percentage. He also accumulated 314 stolen bases, 69 triples, and 113 home runs.
As of now, no court dates have been made public, and it remains unclear whether Furcal will enter a plea.
The Broward County Sheriff’s Office has not responded to requests for additional information.