Ex-Ohio State assistant coach Zach Smith arrested

Former Ohio State assistant football coach Zach Smith was arrested Thursday afternoon after police received calls that he was confrontational with staff that prevented him from picking up his children at Scioto Ridge Elementary School in Powell.

Smith, 35, of Powell, faces a misdemeanor charge of violating a civil protection order, said Tracy Whited, spokeswoman for the Delaware County Sheriff's Office. He was being held in the county jail Thursday night and was scheduled to be arraigned Friday morning.

Whited said Smith was in violation of the civil protection order by arriving at the school, where his ex-wife, Courtney Smith was also present. Whited added that Zach Smith raised his voice and was angry, but not physical.

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In a statement to The Dispatch, Brad Koffel, an attorney for Zach Smith said, "Malicious move by her to have their dad arrested in front of their children and the entire elementary school. Just sad.”

Julia Leveridge, an attorney for Courtney Smith, could not be immediately reached for comment.

In October, Smith had agreed in Delaware County Municipal Court to a memorandum of understanding to resolve criminal charges stemming from an accusation in May that he violated a protection order involving Courtney Smith. At that October hearing, she was granted another protection order, to expire in three years.

Zach Smith was fired as wide receivers coach last July by coach Urban Meyer over criminal charges as well as allegations that Smith had abused Courtney Smith when they were married.

Meyer's response to questions about Zach Smith at a Big Ten media event prompted news stories that questioned whether Meyer had ignored domestic violence complaints connected with the Smiths' troubled marriage. Those included an incident in Powell in 2015 that did not result in charges months before the couple divorced in 2016.

Ohio State's Board of Trustees ordered an investigation, and Meyer was suspended for three games without pay for failing to properly supervise Zach Smith. Athletic director Gene Smith also was suspended for three weeks without pay in connection with the case.

Meyer retired as football coach in January.

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