Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Tarvaris Jackson was arrested June 24 in Florida after officials say he pulled a gun on a woman, reported to be his wife.

The 33-year-old free agent and his wife were on vacation when the incident occurred. Jackson's wife told deputies with the Osceola County Sheriff's Office that early in the morning, the football player returned to their rental home drunk and started yelling at her. He allegedly pointed a gun and threatened to kill her. Jackson admitted the couple had an argument, but he denied pulling a gun.

According to the sheriff's report made available to The Seattle Times, the incident began when Jackson returned, intoxicated, to the rental home and tried to kick in a bedroom door. In the report, it refers to a woman reported to be his wife. The woman said she was afraid of him and reached for knife, but put it down. As the argument escalated, according to the report, Jackson pulled a gun out of a book bag, loaded it, pointed it at the woman and threatened to kill her. The report also stated a third party grabbed Jackson to prevent him from shooting the woman. Jackson's children were sleeping in another room during the incident.

Initially, Jackson told deputies he did not have a gun, but later changed his story, after a 9mm gun was found. Jackson then said he had a gun and did threaten to shoot the woman, but never took it out of his book bag. Police also seized marijuana from the rental home.

Jackson was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a third-degree felony in Florida. He was booked in a county jail and was released later the same day after posting bond.

Jackson joined the Seattle Seahawks in 2011 as a starting quarterback. For the last three seasons, he was the backup quarterback. He is now a free agent.

In Washington, if a person assaults another with a firearm or any deadly weapon, it is considered assault in the first degree, even if the gun is unloaded. Deadly weapons are not limited to firearms. They also include knives, explosives, vehicles and any other object that can inflict great bodily harm.

Great bodily harm means bodily injury which creates a probability of death, or which causes significant serious permanent disfigurement, or which causes a significant permanent loss or impairment of the function of any bodily part or organ.

In addition, a person is guilty of first-degree assault if he or she:

• Assaults another by any force or means likely to produce great bodily harm or death; or
• Administers, exposes, transmits to, or causes to be taken by another, poison, HIV or any other destructive or noxious substance; or
• Assaults another and inflicts great bodily harm.

Assault in the first degree is a class A felony, punishable by up to life in prison, a fine of $50,000 or both.

Every defendant facing charges of assault needs a qualified attorney to represent him or her in court. If you have been arrested and face criminal charges, call the Seattle law office of Steve Karimi at (206) 621-8777 or contact him online.