Early Monday morning police in Austin, Texas responded to a call at Texas basketball coach Chris Beard’s house where he was arrested and charged with a “third-degree felony charge of assault on a family/household member-impede breath circulation,” per the Austin-American Statesman.
UPDATE: Austin police spokesman Brandon Jones says it is alleged that Beard strangled a person at a home in Tarrytown. Officers responded to a 911 "disturbance-urgent" call at 2:07 a.m. Monday. https://t.co/sS27S8w8u6
— Tony Plohetski (@tplohetski) December 12, 2022
The University of Texas provided a brief statement noting they were “aware of the situation” and gathering details, while Beard’s attorney, Perry Minton, issued the expected denial of wrongdoing to the Austin-American Statesman.
“Coach Beard is 100% innocent of these charges. He should never have been arrested. The complainant wants him released immediately and all charges dismissed. It is truly inconceivable.”
The 49-year-old coach has become one of the biggest names in college basketball after his success at Texas Tech led to him getting the Texas job in 2021. However, that meteoric rise to the top of the coaching world is now in jeopardy if he is found guilty of the alleged strangling and assault of a family member.
UPDATE: The full arrest report, chronicling the disturbing details of the alleged assault by Beard on his fiancee, was obtained by Anwar Richardson on Monday night. Per the police report, Beard dragged his fiancee out of bed and put her in a chokehold over broken reading glasses.
Here is the official arrest report for Texas men's basketball coach Chris Beard (I removed the victim's name) pic.twitter.com/kROHOvJfxQ
— Anwar Richardson (@AnwarRichardson) December 12, 2022
Beard has been suspended indefinitely by Texas.
