Former NFL OL Chad Wheeler found guilty on domestic violence charges
A jury in King County, Washington ruled on Thursday that former NFL offensive lineman Chad Wheeler is guilty of domestic violence assault following his arrest in January of 2021. Wheeler’s girlfriend, Alleah Taylor, called the police and claimed the former USC tackle was going to “kill her.”
According to the arrest report, it took multiple officers to bring the lineman down. When they arrived he pushed and locked Taylor in the bathroom. After initial court appearances, he eventually bonded out on a $400,000 bond as his case proceeded.
While the jury convicted Wheeler on first- and second-degree domestic violence assault charges, it found him not guilty of false imprisonment. His sentencing is now scheduled for December 14.
According to the Seattle Times, state prosecutors are expected to seek a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison.
Court documents paint disturbing picture in Wheeler DV case
The court documents from the trial said the woman lost consciousness “twice from two separate strangulations.” Upon regaining consciousness, the victim said she was in a pool of blood on the bed. She claimed that Wheeler calmly commented, “Oh, you’re still alive?”
The documents also said Wheeler used his body weight to pin the victim down. The former lineman is 6-foot-7 and 300 pounds.
Following the altercation, the woman went to UW Valley Medical Center in Renton for treatment. Several of the healthcare workers testified on her behalf in regard to the injuries sustained.
Although the defense failed to convince the jury of his innocence, the team claimed throughout the trial that Wheeler had a “mental health episode” on the night of the assault. Now, the former NFL player is facing a minimum of five years behind bars.
Wheeler, a Santa Monica, California native, went to USC to play football. From there, he became an undrafted free agent in the 2017 draft class. The New York Giants picked him up for the 2017 season and he made his debut that October.
The Giants waived Wheeler amid final roster cuts ahead of the 2019 football season. He then joined the Seattle Seahawks. He went on and off the active roster from the practice squad before the team ultimately released him following his arrest in 2021. During his NFL career, he earned roughly $1.9 million from the Giants and Seahawks.