Former Duck football player Colt Lyerla is in jail again, arrested Tuesday on suspicion of felony assault, strangulation and heroin possession.

Eugene police officers arrested Lyerla, 26, on suspicion of felony second-degree assault, strangulation, coercion and unlawful possession of heroin, as well as misdemeanor menacing and a parole violation. Lyerla was booked into the Lane County Jail at 7:22 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Lane County Sheriff.

Police had been searching for Lyerla since Monday morning when he allegedly assaulted and strangled his girlfriend at her Eugene home, Eugene police spokesman John Hankemeier said. The woman was transported with non-life-threatening injuries to a local hospital.

Eugene police looked for Lyerla and, with the help of Springfield Police officers, located him around 6:19 p.m. in a Thurston Road home in Springfield.

"He attempted to flee and a Taser was used to take him into custody," Hankemeier said, "and he was found in possession of heroin."

Lyerla was a five-star recruit when he signed with Oregon as a tight end out of Hillsboro High School in 2011. He played 28 games in three seasons before leaving the program early in his junior year.

He left the Ducks Oct. 6, 2013, and was arrested Oct. 23, 2013, and booked into the Lane County Jail for cocaine possession, which he pleaded guilty to later that year. After that, Lyerla has been accused of drug crimes multiple times in Washington County. His drug and legal issues derailed attempts at a professional football career in the NFL.

During his first two seasons with the Ducks, Lyerla had 32 catches, including 11 for touchdowns. He earned honorable mention all-Pac-12 honors as a sophomore when he caught 25 passes for 392 yards and six touchdowns. He also rushed 13 times for 77 yards and a score.

He was in the starting lineup for the first two games of the 2013 season before being held out of a 59-14 win over Tennessee Sept. 14 at Autzen Stadium due to what coach Mark Helfrich described as "circumstances." He returned to play the following week at California then was suspended again for a game at Colorado for unknown reasons.

When he quit the team Lyerla said he wanted to prepare for a pro career. A former prep all-American who had been projected as a possible first-round pick entering his junior year, Lyerla was not selected in the 2014 NFL Draft and never made a roster as a free agent. He attended training camp with the Green Bay Packers as a rookie but injured his right knee during a practice and was released after reaching an injury settlement with the team.

Follow Dylan Darling on Twitter @DylanJDarling. Email dd@registerguard.com.