One day after an arrest warrant was issued when he failed to appear for a hearing on a domestic violence case, “Scandal” actor Columbus Keith Short was taken into custody today when he showed up at a Van Nuys courtroom.
Short, 31, is facing misdemeanor counts of spousal battery and child abuse endangerment stemming from an alleged Feb. 3 fight with his wife in front of his children, according to the City Attorney’s Office. He was expected to be in court Wednesday for trial, but failed to show up, prompting a judge to issue a bench warrant.
Los Angeles County sheriff’s Deputy Trina Schrader said Short was not formally arrested, but was taken into custody until he could be seen by a judge on the domestic violence case. It was unclear, however, how quickly that would occur.
The actor is also the subject of a second arrest warrant, which was issued by a judge at the Airport Branch Courthouse when Short failed to show up for a hearing today in connection with a felony battery case, according to the District Attorney’s Office. The judge in that case ordered that Short be held on $250,000 bail when he was located.
The felony charge stems from an alleged March 15 fight, in which Short is accused of punching a man — knocking him out — at a West Los Angeles restaurant during an engagement party. Short is charged with a felony count of battery with serious bodily injury.
If convicted on the felony, he faces up to four years in prison, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Short portrays Harrison Wright on the hit television series. The Missouri native has appeared in the films “Stomp the Yard,” “Accepted,” “The Losers” and “Death at a Funeral.” He also appeared on the short-lived series “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.”
