Ray McDonald, former San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears defensive tackle

Prosecutors in California have charged former San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears defensive tackle Ray McDonald with felony false imprisonment stemming from a domestic violence arrest in which he allegedly assaulted his ex-fiancée while she held their 2-month-old child. Here is how prosecutors, in their press release, describe what happened that day. The driver eventually convinced the 6-foot-3, 280-pound lineman to leave the apartment, and McDonald briefly tried to return before thinking otherwise after seeing responding officers at the complex.

McDonald was arrested May 25 at a San Jose home on suspicion of assaulting the woman.

McDonald was later arrested in San Jose and posted bail, and his attorney contends that there was an argument, but no physical contact.

The National Football League came under fire previous year for bungling cases of domestic abuse by its players, and teams took players accused of domestic violence off the field. No charges were brought, and the 49ers cut him soon afterward. The newspaper said no charges have been filed and McDonald sued the woman for defamation in March, though that suit has since been dismissed.

The charges announced Thursday are the latest in a series of run-ins with the law.

Update (4:56 p.m.): Santa Clara prosecutors have released the statement of probable cause for McDonald and it gives more details about what happened that night. According to police investigators, McDonald allegedly threw the woman – was 10 weeks pregnant at the time – on a couch and grabbed her by the neck in an attempt to remove her from the home. On May 25, she had her bedroom door locked because because she knew McDonald had been drinking and she was afraid. McDonald was not charged on that allegation, and the couple broke off their engagement.

She started recording the interaction with her cell phone video camera, and at one point the driver tried to intervene, police said. Toxicology reports said his blood-alcohol level was at 0.12 percent, according to the statement.