Actor Gary Coleman exited the Utah County jail Monday after a fan posted his bail.
“I’m just a Good Samaritan, I guess,” said Jarrod Clarke, who put up the $1,725 for Coleman’s release. “He just had a sad [mug shot] picture.”
Coleman was released at 4:43 p.m. after 27 hours in jail. Santaquin police arrested Coleman on Sunday after receiving reports of a “civil disturbance” at his home in that town.
Once there, police found Coleman, 41, had an arrest warrant issued for him. Santaquin City Attorney Brett Rich said the warrant is related to a domestic violence charge filed against Coleman in the city justice court on Aug. 26. Coleman is expected to appear at a hearing in Santaquin Justice Court on Feb. 8, Rich said.
Clarke said he has never met Coleman but is a lifelong fan of “Diff’rent Strokes,” the television show that made Coleman a famous child actor.
“I didn’t tell anybody,” said Clarke, whose business interests include owning Money Train Title Loans. “I wasn’t trying to get any publicity from it.”
Clarke said jail staff told him he also would have to give Coleman a ride home. Clarke said he agreed, but while waiting for the jail to complete the process, Coleman’s father-in-law arrived and agreed to drive Coleman home.
The father-in-law said Coleman continues to suffer from kidney and heart problems and Coleman did not address his outstanding court case because he was in the hospital, Clarke said. Clarke said he left the jail without meeting Coleman.
Clarke can recover his $1,725 if Coleman appears in court for his outstanding cases.
