The Verdict Is In: Probation for the ‘Truck Attack’
The legal hammer has officially dropped on Johnnie Cartwright, the volatile ex-fiancée of disgraced Home Improvement alum Zachery Ty Bryan. After a terrifying booze-fueled incident last November where she allegedly tried to flatten the actor with her pickup truck, Cartwright faced the music in an Oregon courtroom this week. The result? A plea deal that keeps her out of jail—for now—but puts her on an extremely tight leash.
In hearing audio exclusively obtained by insiders, Cartwright pleaded guilty to DUI and reckless driving on Wednesday, January . While the court dismissed the charge of recklessly endangering another person, the details exposed during the hearing paint a picture of absolute chaos on the side of the road with innocent children caught in the crossfire.
The judge handed down a sentence of months of probation for each count. She also has to cough up a $, fine and a $ conviction fee. But the real kicker? Her license is suspended for a full year. When she finally gets behind the wheel again, she will be forced to blow into an ignition interlock device to start her car. If she slips up, she is looking at days behind bars immediately.
Eyewitness Terror: “Everyone’s Lives Being Ruined”
The most chilling part of the sentencing wasn’t the fine—it was the prosecution’s play-by-play of the November nightmare. An eyewitness watched the drama unfold in real-time, describing a scene straight out of a horror movie. According to the prosecutor, the witness saw Bryan standing helplessly on the side of the road while Cartwright gunned the engine.
“He watched as the truck drove at the male on the side of the road, and hit an embankment as the male on the side of the road scrambled up the hill, away from the truck,” the prosecutor revealed. This wasn’t just a fender bender; Bryan had to literally scramble for his life.
Even worse? The couple’s three small children were inside the truck
“The defendant yelled at him about everyone’s lives being ruined and accused him of trying to take her kids away.”
The desperation was palpable. Instead of checking on the kids or her ex, she was reportedly screaming about her ruined life while the truck sat in a ditch. It is a miracle nobody was killed.
“Divine Intervention” and Financial Dependence
In a bizarre twist during the hearing, Cartwright didn’t just apologize—she claimed the near-fatal crash was fate. When asked for her final words, she offered a strange rationalization for the chaos.
“Divine intervention, I guess,” Cartwright told the judge. “I’m just here to take accountability, and everything happens for a reason.”
She also made it clear she wants nothing to do with Bryan moving forward, stating, “Me and the girls are doing great, and I’m just hoping to continue on to keep the separation from the father.”
However, her attorney painted a different picture regarding their connection. Despite the “separation,” the lawyer admitted Cartwright is still financially dependent on the -year-old actor. She told the court Bryan is her “ex-partner” whom she relies on for money. The court ordered her to start paying off her fines at a rate of $ per month starting March —likely coming out of Bryan’s pocket if she is relying on him for cash.
Strict Rules: No Booze, No Bars
The court isn’t taking any chances with Cartwright’s sobriety. The judge slapped her with a strict “no alcohol” mandate. She is forbidden from possessing or consuming a single drop of booze. Furthermore, she is banned from entering any establishment where alcohol is the main product sold. That means no bars, no clubs, and no tasting rooms.
She was also ordered to complete a “Quantitative Risk Assessment” and other programs. The warning was stark: fail to comply, and you go to jail. She already had a taste of the cell life; after her initial arrest in November, she was released on December , only to be thrown back in the slammer days later for violating her pretrial release conditions.
RELATED: Zachery Ty Bryan’s Fiancee Back in Legal Trouble After Trying to Run Him Over
A History of Toxicity
This incident is just the latest chapter in the disastrous saga of Bryan and Cartwright. The Lane County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that on the night of the crash, Bryan had exited the vehicle before Cartwright tried to mow him down. But Bryan wasn’t exactly an innocent bystander in the eyes of the law either.
While he avoided injury from the truck, Bryan was arrested at the scene for allegedly violating probation stemming from a prior assault conviction. He spent over a week in custody before being released on December . This couple’s relationship has been a revolving door of police reports, mugshots, and domestic disturbances.
Her lawyer claims Cartwright is “extremely regretful” and is currently living with her mother while maintaining custody of the children. “She’s not drinking alcohol at this time either, so she’s wanting to continue on with her sobriety,” the attorney stated.
With probation hanging over her head and a suspended license, Cartwright is on thin ice. As for Bryan, the former child star seems to have dodged a literal truck, but can he dodge the ongoing drama of this toxic entanglement?
Stay tuned.
