Chad Wheeler’s girlfriend claims his prison release poses a threat to her safety.
Recently, after learning the former NFL star was out on bond, she appeared in court and expressed her fears about his temporary freedom. “I want you to know that I believe that as long as [Wheeler] is not in custody, I am not safe,” she said in a statement.
Wheeler’s girlfriend was the victim of a domestic abuse at the hands of the former Seattle Seahawks star. On the night she was physically assaulted, she called cops to report she was being “killed” by the athlete, who she claimed had already dislocated her arm.
In text messages that she allegedly sent, she informed friends and family that Wheeler strangled her and “continued to eat dinner” and drink a smoothie afterwards. She said he was surprised to see that she was still alive.
When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered the woman in the bathroom. Her face was covered in blood, and fingerprints were spotted on both sides of her neck. In addition to her dislocated elbow, medical scans showed she suffered from a fractured humerus.
Wheeler — who is listed as 6’7” and 310 pounds — was arrested on charges of domestic violence unlawful imprisonment, first-degree domestic violence assault and resisting arrest. He pled not guilty to the charges and recently posted $400,000 bond. As a condition of his release, he must remain in Washington on home detention and wear an ankle monitoring device that is GPS-equipped.
“Chad never called the police [after the assault] even though he thought I was dead…,” Wheeler’s girlfriend said during her court appearance. “This current status places my safety at risk, and I do not believe that a protective order or a condition of release is sufficient to keep me safe.”
The domestic violence incident also cost Wheeler his position on the Seahawks.