NFL star Chad Wheeler thought his girlfriend was dead after allegedly choking her unconscious — and was shocked she survived, a police report shows.
The Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman was arrested on the weekend on suspicion of felony domestic violence after his girlfriend told police he assaulted her at an apartment in Kent, Washington, the Seattle Times reported.
Officers responded to the residence and found the woman locked in a bathroom after a “physical fight” with Wheeler. She told cops during a 911 call that she was being “killed” and had a dislocated arm.
The Seahawks lineman had been taking medication for bipolar disorder, but recently stopped taking it, the police report shows.
Wheeler, who is listed at 2m tall and 140kg, was surprised when his girlfriend regained consciousness after the alleged attack, according to the report.
“Wow, you’re alive?” Wheeler asked her.
Photos purportedly of the battered woman circulating on Twitter showed her with a bloodied nose while at a hospital. Text messages allegedly sent by her indicated how “cold” Wheeler was during the alleged attack.
“He thought I was dead on my bed and continued to eat dinner,” the message read. “When I ran into the bathroom, he said, ‘Wow, you’re still alive’ while sipping on a smoothie.”
The assault allegedly took place after Wheeler asked his girlfriend to bow to him, the police report indicates.
The Seahawks told ESPN this week that team officials were aware of the situation and were “still gathering” information.
They released a statement on Thursday as more details about the alleged attack came to light, saying Wheeler is no longer on the Seahawks roster.
“The Seahawks are saddened by the details emerging against Chad Wheeler and strongly condemn this act of domestic violence,” the team said.
“Chad is a free agent and no longer with the team.”
Wheeler was released from the King County Jail on Wednesday after posting $400,000 bond ($AUD522,000), online records show.
He’s due back in court this week for a probable cause hearing. A judge ordered Wheeler not to contact the victim or to possess weapons during a hearing on Monday, the Seattle Times reported.
In 2015, Wheeler was detained by Los Angeles police while a student-athlete at college, where he was punching walls and windows while under the influence. He was not arrested, but taken to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.
Wheeler played in five games for the Seahawks last season and is now a restricted free agent.
This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission
