Strawberry Is Accused of Assault : Jurisprudence: Dodger outfielder arrested after allegedly striking his girlfriend, opening a cut above her eye.

Dodger outfielder Darryl Strawberry was arrested Saturday at his home in Glendale after he allegedly assaulted his girlfriend, according to Glendale police.

After learning of the arrest and talking to Strawberry, Fred Claire, Dodger executive vice president, issued a statement: “If the allegations that have been made against Darryl Strawberry are true, I can assure you the Dodgers will not tolerate this kind of conduct by one of our players. Once the facts have been determined, we will take appropriate action.”

Claire did not elaborate.

Strawberry’s girlfriend, whom police would not identify, suffered a one-inch cut above her right eye and was treated at Verdugo Hills Hospital in Glendale. Police, responding to a call from the hospital for an assault victim early Saturday morning, accompanied Strawberry’s girlfriend back to the house that she and Strawberry shared so she could remove some personal belongings, police said.

Strawberry was arrested at his home without incident, accused of “willful infliction of corporal injury on a spouse/cohabitant,” a felony. Strawberry was released from the Glendale jail after posting a bond of $20,000 and will be arraigned on Sept. 30 at Glendale Municipal Court. He was in custody for 90 minutes.

“He struck her once with a closed fist,” a spokesperson for the Glendale police said. Neither Strawberry nor his agent, Eric Goldschmidt, could be reached for comment.

On Jan. 26, 1990, Strawberry was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon after police alleged he struck his then-wife, Lisa, with an open hand and threatened her with a handgun at their Encino home. He was released on $12,000 bond and charges were dropped after he entered an alcohol rehabilitation program. Strawberry’s divorce was final shortly after this season started.

Strawberry was at home Saturday instead of with the team in Florida because he is rehabilitating his surgically repaired back, which has kept him sidelined most of the season.

Strawberry was expected to accompany the team on its next trip, which begins Sept. 13, and could be ready to play the final month of the season, though he probably will wait until the fall instructional league in Arizona.

His back problems, which have been the source of growing frustration, have not been the only difficulty he has encountered this season.

Strawberry’s failure on a couple of occasions to conform to the rules of his rehabilitation program has drawn the ire of Claire. What action Claire will take, if any, in regard to this latest incident remains unclear. The Dodgers still will owe Strawberry $3 million next season and $5 million for 1995.

The New York Mets recently released a high-priced player after he was charged with a felony. Vince Coleman was let go after an incident in the Dodger Stadium parking lot in which an explosive device he threw injured three people. The Mets owed Coleman $3 million for 1994 and whatever was left on his $2-million contract for 1993.

Saturday’s incident comes on the heels of controversy that has dogged Strawberry since April 13, the Dodgers’ home opener. On that day he complained that a fan interfered with his ability to catch a ball that went into the seats. His complaint brought a lot of criticism from the public.

Later that day, he picked up a homeless couple who were hitchhiking. He took them to a motel for lodging and was involved in an altercation. One of the hitchhikers has filed a civil suit against Strawberry for allegedly hitting him. The police investigated and did not charge Strawberry.