Former ‘Home Improvement’ actor Zachery Ty Bryan allegedly punched ex-girlfriend and threatened to kill her — court grants five-year restraining order amid disturbing new claims
Zachery Ty Bryan, the actor who rose to fame as Brad Taylor on the hit 1990s sitcom Home Improvement, is again in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. The former child star, now 44, is facing new allegations of domestic violence that have resulted in a five-year restraining order granted to his ex-girlfriend. According to court documents obtained by TMZ and Page Six, the order was issued after the woman accused Bryan of punching her in the head and threatening to kill her during a July 3 incident.
The restraining order, which remains in effect until September 29, 2030, marks the latest in a long string of troubling legal issues surrounding the former actor. The alleged altercation occurred after what started as a seemingly playful exchange turned violent. The woman claimed that she and Bryan were lying on a bed together when she “playfully bit his nipple.” In response, according to her statement, Bryan allegedly struck her hard in the right temple. She told police that he then yelled, “Shut the f–k up or I’m gonna shut you up,” leaving her terrified for her life.
Court filings further allege that Bryan made multiple threats to end her life and engaged in escalating aggression leading up to that night. The victim also claimed that a month earlier, in June 2025, Bryan sprayed their dog with bleach, locked himself in a room with the animal, and punched a door so violently that it broke off its hinges. Investigators reportedly reviewed the details before the court granted the long-term protective order.
Bryan, who first found fame acting alongside Tim Allen, Patricia Richardson, and Jonathan Taylor Thomas on Home Improvement, has faced a years-long series of arrests and domestic-violence accusations. This newest order is not his first brush with similar allegations — in fact, it continues a pattern that has followed him for much of the past decade.
In October 2020, Bryan was arrested in Eugene, Oregon, after police responded to reports of a physical altercation with another ex-girlfriend. Officers at the time said they found the woman with injuries consistent with strangulation and assault. Bryan was charged with felony strangulation, fourth-degree assault, and interfering with making a police report. He later pleaded guilty to menacing and misdemeanor assault, receiving three years of probation and mandatory attendance in a batterer-intervention program.
Then, in July 2023, he was again arrested — this time in Lane County, Oregon — for allegedly attacking the same woman. He later pleaded guilty to a fourth-degree felony assault charge, spending seven days in jail and receiving 36 months of supervised probation. The judge in that case warned him that any further incidents could lead to harsher consequences.
Bryan’s record doesn’t stop there. In 2024, he was charged with felony DUI in California, his blood-alcohol content allegedly registering at nearly twice the legal limit. That case was still pending when the latest restraining-order allegations emerged.
The restraining order’s terms prohibit Bryan from contacting or approaching the victim and require him to maintain a minimum physical distance at all times. Legal experts say a five-year order is unusually long for this type of case, reflecting what the court deemed a credible ongoing threat. Violating the order could lead to immediate arrest and further felony charges.
Public reaction to the latest case has been swift — and mixed. Many fans of Home Improvement have expressed shock and disappointment, remembering Bryan as the mischievous but lovable eldest son in the Taylor family. Others note that the former actor’s troubles have been public for years, with numerous outlets chronicling his descent from rising star to repeat defendant.
Bryan has not publicly commented on the restraining order. His representatives have not issued a formal statement, and court records show that he has not filed a challenge to the ruling. In previous interviews, however, he has attempted to downplay earlier incidents, telling The Hollywood Reporter that his past arrests were “overblown” and part of “growing pains.” That explanation has drawn criticism from domestic-violence advocacy groups, who argue that repeated incidents point to a consistent pattern rather than isolated mistakes.
Advocates for survivors say Bryan’s case underscores the difficulties of holding public figures accountable when fame complicates the narrative. “When someone is a recognizable name, there’s often denial from fans — and leniency from the system,” said one Los Angeles-based domestic-violence attorney familiar with celebrity cases. “But when patterns repeat over time, courts take notice. This five-year order shows the judge believed the threat was credible and ongoing.”
The restraining order is only the latest in a chain of events that has largely defined Bryan’s adult life. Following the end of Home Improvement in 1999, he appeared in minor roles on television shows such as Smallville, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Veronica Mars, but his acting career soon stalled. He later shifted toward producing low-budget films and tech ventures, though none achieved lasting success.
His legal issues began to overshadow his professional pursuits entirely. In addition to the domestic-violence cases, Bryan was sued in 2022 for alleged investment fraud after multiple individuals accused him of taking money for a cryptocurrency-mining venture that never materialized. He denied wrongdoing but faced mounting financial troubles, including unpaid taxes and legal debts.
Despite the setbacks, Bryan occasionally re-emerged in the public eye through nostalgic Home Improvement reunions or social-media posts referencing his former fame. But his attempts to regain stability have been repeatedly undermined by personal turmoil and legal strife.
For his former colleagues, the news has been difficult to process. Tim Allen, who played his on-screen father Tim Taylor, has spoken cautiously about Bryan’s troubles in past interviews, expressing sadness rather than judgment. “He’s deviated from the guy I remember — the fun, talented young man who had the world ahead of him,” Allen told Entertainment Weekly in 2023. “It’s heartbreaking.”
Patricia Richardson, who portrayed Bryan’s on-screen mother, said that while she had not remained close to him, she felt deeply saddened by the reports. “When you work with kids, you hope they grow into happy, safe adults,” she said in 2024. “This isn’t the ending any of us wanted for him.”
As for Bryan’s accuser, the restraining order may bring temporary relief but not closure. Domestic-violence survivors often describe restraining orders as necessary but incomplete — a legal barrier that doesn’t fully heal the emotional and psychological scars of abuse. The woman’s filing cites repeated fear, emotional distress, and trauma resulting from Bryan’s alleged outbursts.
Under Arizona and California law, violating a restraining order can lead to fines, imprisonment, or both. With Bryan’s extensive record, experts note that even a minor infraction could land him back behind bars.
The Home Improvement alum’s trajectory mirrors a sadly familiar story in Hollywood — a once-promising young actor whose fame, personal demons, and unresolved issues spiraled into public collapse. Many former co-stars from the ’90s sitcom era have managed to rebuild stable lives out of the spotlight, but Bryan’s ongoing behavior has made that redemption arc far harder to imagine.
While fans may remember him for his youthful grin and mischievous energy, the reality today is one of arrests, court hearings, and protective orders. Each new case reinforces an image of volatility that contrasts sharply with his TV past.
The restraining order remains active, and law-enforcement sources confirm that local authorities continue to monitor compliance. There are no new criminal charges as of now, but officials have indicated they are reviewing the allegations for potential prosecution.
Zachery Ty Bryan’s future — both legally and personally — appears uncertain. What is certain, however, is that the Home Improvement legacy he helped build has long since been overshadowed by a pattern of violence and instability that has followed him into middle age.
