SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – One of the six men accused of attacking former Arizona Coyotes hockey player Paul Bissonnette outside a Scottsdale restaurant has accepted a plea deal.
What we know:
John Carroll pleaded guilty to aggravated assault. The plea agreement comes with a sentence of up to six months in jail and up to three years of unsupervised probation, along with potential fines.
The five other suspects are Danny Bradley, William Carroll, Sean Daley, Edward Jennings and Henry Mesker.
Sean Daley, Danny Bradley, Henry Mesker were also offered plea deals. William J. Carroll and Edward Jennings are accused of misdemeanors.
Clockwise from top left: Danny Bradley, John G. Carroll, William J. Carroll, Sean Daley, Edward Jennings, and Henry Mesker. (Courtesy: Scottsdale Police Department)
The backstory:
The Nov. 24 assault happened at Houston’s restaurant near McDonald Drive and Scottsdale Road around 7:30 p.m.
The former NHL player and podcast host said on a episode of Spittin’ Chiclets that he was minding his own business when he saw a group of men become disorderly near the bar. He said he intervened after one of the men appeared to get physical with a restaurant employee.
Footage showing the attack was released by the Scottsdale Police Department on Dec. 10. It shows the moment the fight broke out inside the restaurant, when the fight left the restaurant, and then when the fight spilled over to the CVS parking lot.
Bissonnette played for the Arizona Coyotes from 2009 to 2014. The former NHL team left Arizona due to management issues and now plays in Salt Lake City as the Utah Mammoth.
What’s next:
Carroll is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6.