Adrian Peterson to Complete Domestic Violence, Alcohol Counseling Following February Arrest

NFL free agent Adrian Peterson was arrested in February following an alleged domestic violence incident with his wife Ashley

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Photo: Wesley Hitt/Getty

Free-agent NFL running back Adrian Peterson will be required to complete 20 domestic violence and alcohol counseling sessions following his February arrest, the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office confirmed to ESPN.

Last Friday, a pre-hearing with the city attorney was held as an alternative for prosecution where Peterson, 37, agreed to complete the counseling, the outlet reported. The athlete was not charged with a felony for the alleged domestic violence incident, but could still face a misdemeanor charge if he does not complete the required counseling sessions within six months.

The Los Angeles City Attorney's Office and representatives for Peterson did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

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Peterson was arrested on Feb. 13 at the Los Angeles International Airport after airport police got a call at around 8:30 a.m. local time about a domestic violence situation that occurred on a flight leaving Los Angeles en route to Houston.

Adrian Peterson (L) and Ashley Brown Peterson attend The 2019 ESPYs at Microsoft Theater on July 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty

After pulling out of the gate, police said the plane was forced to turn around following a reported "verbal and physical altercation" between two passengers, Peterson and his wife Ashley Peterson. The NFL also confirmed the arrest in a news release at the time.

Peterson posted a $50,000 bond and was released the same day as his arrest, the NFL added.

Peterson's wife later defended the athlete on Instagram, writing, "On Sunday, Adrian and I had a verbal argument. Unfortunately it was on an airplane. At no point did Adrian hit or strike me. This is a private matter between my husband and myself. We ask that everyone respect our privacy so we can focus on what matters most: our children."

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Peterson reposted the statement on his own Instagram account, apologizing to his wife for having to "deal with" the incident after he "acted childishly."

"I hold myself accountable," he added. "Had I responded differently, this would be nonexistent. The world is so QUICK to pass judgment and come up with their own headlines. @mrsashleypeterson I again apologize for the words that came out my mouth, for I know life and death resides in the tongue!"

Peterson has previously been the subject of abuse allegations. Back in 2014, he was charged with felony injury to his 4-year-old son following what he said was a disciplinary punishment. During the same period, he was also accused of injuring another one of his children earlier by a form of discipline.

"In November of 2014, Peterson pleaded no-contest to one count of misdemeanor reckless assault for reckless assault on his son. Peterson was placed on probation, fined and assigned community service. He was subsequently suspended for the remainder of the 2014 season by the league," the NFL said, discussing the incident.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

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