Former USC offensive lineman Chad Wheeler charged with domestic violence
Former USC offensive lineman Chad Wheeler was arrested early Saturday on suspicion of felony domestic violence.
Wheeler, who played the last two seasons for the Seattle Seahawks, is accused of choking his girlfriend until she lost consciousness. On Wednesday, King County prosecutors charged Wheeler with first-degree domestic violence assault, domestic violence unlawful imprisonment and resisting arrest.
Court documents allege that Wheeler told his girlfriend to stand up and bow to him. When she refused, Wheeler, a 6-foot-7, 310-pound offensive tackle, allegedly attempted to choke her with one hand while smothering her with the other hand, causing her to lose consciousness.
When she regained consciousness, Wheeler expressed surprise that she was still alive, police said. She locked herself in the bathroom, where she called 911. Officers responded and found Wheeler, who had picked the lock of the bathroom.
He was booked early Saturday morning and released Tuesday after posting $400,000 bail. His arraignment is scheduled for Feb. 9.
On Wednesday afternoon, in his first public comments since his arrest, Wheeler called the incident “a manic episode” and said in a Twitter post that he was “deeply sorry for the pain and suffering that I have caused to Alleah and her family.”
Wheeler said that he would “walk away from football and get the help I need to never again pose a threat to another.”
The Seattle Seahawks released a statement addressing the situation Wednesday, condemning domestic violence and explaining that Wheeler, scheduled to be a restricted free agent this offseason, would no longer be a part of the team.
Wheeler spent four seasons as USC’s starting left tackle from 2013 to 2016. In December 2015, he was involved in an incident at an off-campus apartment in which he was detained by police and then transported under protective custody to a local hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.
During that incident, police responded to calls that a “disorderly” Wheeler was punching walls and windows while barricaded inside an apartment near USC’s campus with a 20-year-old female friend and her 7-month-old son. Wheeler exited the residence, but then, ignoring police commands, returned inside. Police, fearing he would grab a weapon, subdued Wheeler by firing multiple bean bag rounds.
Wheeler missed USC’s Holiday Bowl appearance. USC coach Clay Helton said at the time that Wheeler was dealing with “a personal issue.”
Zach Banner, another former Trojans offensive lineman who roomed with him at USC, said on Twitter that Wheeler is “someone completely different than my roommate and brother at SC.”
Chad Wheeler is someone completely different than my roommate and brother at SC, and today I had to come to terms with that. What he did was heartbreaking, and I will never forgive...
My thoughts, and prayers go out to the victim. She and her health should be the upmost priority— Zach Banner (@ZBNFL) January 27, 2021
“Today I had to come to terms with that,” Banner continued. “What he did was heartbreaking, and I will never forgive.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
