George Zimmerman arrested on aggravated assault charge

In less than two years after George Zimmerman was acquitted in the 2012 killing of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin, he has been arrested on charges of aggravated assault, battery and criminal mischief, accused of smashing an iPad during an argument with his estranged wife and pulled over three times for traffic violations.

On Friday night, Zimmerman, 31, was arrested again, this time for allegedly throwing a wine bottle at his girlfriend several days ago in Lake Mary, Fla.

After a brief hearing in a Seminole County courthouse Saturday morning, Zimmerman posted bond of $5,000. His next court date is Feb. 17.

Zimmerman was charged with aggravated assault, according to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.

Judge John Galluzzo told Zimmerman to stay out of Volusia County, where the woman lives, the Associated Press reported. He also ordered Zimmerman to pack up personal belongings his girlfriend may have left at his house and deliver them to his lawyer, as well as surrender any weapons.

During the hearing, Zimmerman appeared calm, even joking with an officer at one point as he signed paperwork, according to the Associated Press. Clean-shaven during his murder trial, he now sports a beard.

Zimmerman’s shooting of 17-year-old Martin in Sanford, Fla., touched off protests and a national debate on racial profiling. Zimmerman served as a neighborhood watch volunteer in the apartment complex where he shot Martin.

The arrests that followed his acquittal have not led to more trials. One case was never pursued because of lack of evidence; in another, prosecutors did not pursue the case because his girlfriend at the time did not cooperate with detectives.

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