After returning home today to Virginia from London where he went to see his daughter GABBY DOUGLAS compete in the Olympics, TIMOTHY DOUGLAS made his first public comments about his arrest exclusively to The ENQUIRER.
In our new print edition, which hit newsstands yesterday, we revealed that Gabby’s dad was arrested on or around February 21.
Public court documents obtained by The ENQUIRER reveal that Timothy was arrested for contributing to the delinquency of a minor and pleaded no contest.
The incident occurred less than two weeks after Gabby’s mom Natalie Hawkins filed for divorced from the 46-year-old military man.
It’s unclear if Gabby knew about her dad’s arrest. Only days later, on her way to her gold-medal performance in the Olympics which inspired America, she competed in the AT&T American Cup at Madison Square Garden and won the women’s all-around gymnastics competition.
Timothy, who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, told an ENQUIRER reporter earlier today: “So much has happened over the past few weeks that I need to just slow down and take a breath!
“I am so proud of my daughter and everything she has accomplished.
“Words can’t describe all the love and happiness I have in my heart for her right now. I’m just very, very proud of her.”
When asked about the arrest by The ENQUIRER, Douglas said: “I’m trying to keep things positive right now, because there have been a lot of things said about me.
“I feel like I’ve been the best father that I can be to my daughter and to my family.”
Timothy’s brother, Lawrence Douglas, added to The ENQUIRER: “My brother has really been taking a lot of heat lately and most of it hasn’t been deserved.
“Timothy is striving to be a better father and a better person.”
Since our print edition story hit newsstands, Virginia Beach Police revealed more details about the arrest, saying it had to do with a case “dealing with a family incident of nonviolent child abuse.” The identity of the victim is not public.
The ENQUIRER learned Timothy has a year to complete a state-mandated learning course to avoid jail. The misdemeanor charge carries a penalty of up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.
