Not guilty plea entered for Bruins player Milan Lucic in alleged domestic violence incident

Bruins

The Bruins forward was released on personal recognizance and ordered to refrain from consuming alcohol and from abusing his wife.

Accused of attacking his wife during a weekend argument, Bruins forward Milan Lucic appeared in Boston Municipal Court Tuesday morning as a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf for a charge of assault and battery on a family member.

Lucic, 35, was released on personal recognizance and ordered to refrain from consuming alcohol and from abusing his wife.

The Bruins veteran was arrested early on Saturday morning. According to a Boston police report, officers responded to his North End apartment building around 1 a.m. after Lucic’s wife called 911 and stated that her husband had tried to choke her. 

The alleged incident began when Lucic returned home from a night out and couldn’t find his cellphone, according to the report. He allegedly began yelling at his wife, believing she had hidden his phone, then grabbed her by her hair and pulled her backwards when she told him she didn’t have it.

She met with police in the building’s lobby and denied that Lucic had attempted to strangle her, though an officer reportedly noticed redness on her chest. She declined medical treatment.

Lucic’s wife told police he had been drinking that night, and officers noted that he appeared intoxicated when he answered the door to the couple’s apartment, according to the report. 

“He stated to officers that nothing had happened and did not attempt to provide any explanation,” police wrote.

The Bruins announced Saturday that Lucic is taking an indefinite leave of absence from the team.

His case is due back in court on Jan. 19. 

Watch Lucic’s arraignment via WCVB: