Why was Ryan Edwards arrested? ‘Teen Mom’ alum's rocky marriage to wife Mackenzie takes violent turn
HAMILTON COUNTY, TENNESSEE: Ryan Edwards, star of 'Teen Mom,' allegedly threatened his wife Mackenzie Edwards with a pocket knife and held her against a wall by her neck in the presence of their kids, according to a petition for an Order of Protection filed in Circuit Court in Hamilton County, Tennessee. Mackenzie cited a number of alleged domestic violence occurrences in her petition.
Ryan was detained for breaking a protection order issued by his wife, Mackenzie, only the day before. The two have been having marital problems recently, and certain social media remarks have fueled concern that something is seriously wrong in their relationship. Ryan and Mackenzie have been married for five years and are well-known for their position on 'Teen Mom,' since Ryan is Maci Bookout's ex-husband. According to an arrest report, the 'Teen Mom' alum was arrested by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office on Friday, February 10. He allegedly threatened his wife after accusing her of cheating on him.
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Mackenzie asserted during one altercation, Ryan threatened her with a knife
"Arguing, Ryan punched holes in the walls and doors," Mackenzie stated in the February 8 petition regarding an alleged January 15, 2023 fight. "[He] held me up by my neck to the wall. Threw me down in hallway and said if he could not have me no one could. Opened pocket knife, put to my back like he was going to kill me. This was in front of children. I tried to leave, he smashed my phone, took my car keys." According to Mackenzie, a coworker then dialed 911.
Mackenzie said in the petition that on January 24, 2023, "[He] came into bedroom where I was laying down. Pretending like he’s going to punch my face. Breaks bed with me in it. Getting in my face yelling. I went to get kids and leave. He wouldn’t let me leave. Threw me down in living room. Threw menthol nicotine in my eyes."
According to Mackenzie's petition, her father phoned authorities, and cops discovered a loaded AR-15 rifle in the house. She then reported a phone conversation he made to her on February 8, 2023, alleging, "Phone call threatening me, saying I’m not going to like what’s going to happen to me."
Mackenzie continued that Ryan then mentioned a motorcycle gang he was a member of and stated that they "will find [her]." She also mentioned Ryan's "vast history of substance abuse." According to the petition, sheriffs documented him as "still using heroin" on January 28.
The former MTV personality asked Ryan not to contact her and to stay away from her home and office. She wanted temporary custody of their children, Jagger and Stella, but not protection from their father. She also requested that the court compel Ryan to leave their house "immediately." The mother of three listed three of Ryan's firearms.
The court imposed a temporary order of protection on February 9, and they are scheduled to appear in court later this month. In response to Mackenzie's charges, Ryan told The U.S. Sun, "I don’t speak for her. I never wanted to hurt her, just tried telling her. I would have loved to work it because I still at the time wanted to."
Ryan was issued with an Order of Protection on February 9, according to a statement posted by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office. Mackenzie went to the Sheriff's Office the next day to say her spouse had posted a revealing photo of her on his Instagram profile. "During today’s conversation with Mackenzie, it was discovered that Ryan had violated the Order of Protection by contacting her father on February 9, 2023, advising him to let Mackenzie know he would be at the residence that same day to gather his belongings," the statement added.
"During the course of looking into the issue of breaking the Order of Protection, HCSO deputies learned that Ryan had an active warrant for Harassment, which was taken out by the Chattanooga Police Department. Mackenzie was listed as the victim in that incident. That warrant was taken out on February 8, 2023."
When officials went to their house to arrest Ryan, they discovered that it had "sustained considerable damage." "Edwards was searched and found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia and two bags of suspected narcotics," the statement said. He was detained at his workplace and imprisoned on a $5,000 bail.
Ryan's history of arrest and drug abuse
Ryan was arrested for heroin possession in March 2017. Officers recovered "approximately 14 hypodermic needles, one of which was loaded with heroin" in his car at the time of his arrest, according to a police report obtained by Radar Online. The officers also discovered "two silver spoons with residue on them" as well as 1.8 grams of heroin.
During the season 6 finale of 'Teen Mom OG,' shocking footage of Ryan falling asleep behind the wheel aired in June 2017. During the show, Maci also addressed her ex's problems on camera. "He’s an addict," she explained. Following the airing of the show, he issued a statement about entering a treatment program. Ryan was arrested for breaking his probation in March 2018, a year after his initial conviction for heroin possession. At the time, the reality TV star was freed on a $5,000 bail. His family and friends were afraid that his stay in recovery in 2017 was insufficient to address his problem. Following his incarceration in March 2018, Maci and Taylor sought an order of protection from her ex, saying he threatened them over the phone. "He has a history of drug abuse. … He has also said he would show up at our son’s baseball game and confront us (my wife and I) ." In May 2018, Maci and Taylor, together with their two children, were given a two-year restraining order against Ryan.
Ryan was arrested for the second time in 2018 on July 23 for breaking probation. A week after his arrest, he was freed from jail. At the time, a representative for the Hamilton County Jail in Tennessee stated that his initial allegation of simple possession of heroin had been "dismissed," and he had been "given 11 months and 29 days suspended sentence" for a second conviction. Ryan was also sentenced to six months of probation and five days of community service by October 1, 2018, and he committed to six months of random drug testing. Ryan told E! News in August 2018 that the event was a "misunderstanding." The reality personality entered into treatment for the second time a month earlier in October 2018. Ryan finished his 90-day therapy and came home after being allowed to Skype in for Jagger's birth.
Ryan was arrested for heroin possession and theft in January 2019. At the time, the Hamilton County Jail in Chattanooga, Tennessee, said he was arrested for theft of services under $1,000. He also allegedly walked out of Bud's Sports Bar in December 2018 without paying for his six Jack Daniel's whiskey, which cost $36. At the time, the Red Bank County clerk's office also acknowledged that the heroin possession allegation originated from an outstanding warrant.