Chad Wheeler, an offensive Seattle Seahawks striker, was released by the NFL team on Wednesday after being arrested on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend over the weekend.
“The Seahawks are saddened by the emerging details against Chad Wheeler and strongly condemn this act of domestic violence,” the team said in a statement on Wednesday. “Chad is a free agent and is no longer with the team.”
Wheeler, who joined the Seahawks in 2020 from the New York Giants, was arrested on Saturday after a woman called the police to an apartment in Kent, telling a 911 dispatcher that she was being “killed,” Seattle reported. Times.
The woman reported that she had been strangled by the 310-pound Wheeler until she passed out, the Seattle Times reported, citing a police report. When she woke up, she told the police that she saw Wheeler standing by the bed and saying, “Wow, are you alive?”
The woman told police that the violence started when Wheeler, who she said had bipolar disorder and had not taken her medication, asked her to bow to him, the Times reported. When she didn’t, he supposedly threw her on the bed.
The woman managed to call the police after regaining consciousness and lock herself in a bathroom to call 911. The police reported hearing screams when they forced their way into the apartment, finding Wheeler and the victim inside the bathroom.
The woman was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for bleeding and a dislocated arm, the Times reported.
Prison records indicate that Wheeler was charged at King County Prison at 1:19 am on Saturday. He was released Tuesday morning after paying $ 400,000 bail.
In a series of tweets, Wheeler said the incident was the result of “a manic episode” and that he felt “truly ashamed”. The 27-year-old also said he would stay away from football for now.
“I deeply regret the pain and suffering I caused,” he wrote in a tweet thread. “I apologized profusely for the turmoil I caused to my family, teammates, fans and people close to me.”
Wheeler added that his girlfriend was receiving care and that he would also seek help.
“It’s time to leave football and get the help I need to never pose a threat to someone else,” he I wrote. “I can’t express my sadness or remorse enough. I’m really ashamed.”