Prosecutors accuse former Seattle Seahawk Chad Wheeler of first-degree domestic violence assault

A day after he was released from jail, King County prosecutors accused former Seattle Seahawks player Chad Wheeler of physically assaulting his girlfriend over the weekend.

Wheeler, 27, faced first-degree domestic violence assault, domestic violence unlawful imprisonment, and resisting arrest charges, filed on Wednesday in King County Superior Court. Jail records showed he was released on bond Tuesday morning after he was booked at 1:19 a.m., Saturday on $400,000 bail.

A Kent police report said a woman called 911 as she was locked in a bathroom following a "fight" with her boyfriend — identified as Wheeler — and that she was being "killed." Court records and the police report described an out-of-control Wheeler strangling the alleged victim and at one point saying "Wow, you're alive?" to her as she regained consciousness. The woman suffered a dislocated left elbow and fractured left upper arm and was bleeding from her face, according to the police report. Later documents also said she may have suffered internal injuries to her neck.

Before he assaulted her, Wheeler told her to "bow to him," probable cause documents said.

In charging documents, Jason D. Brookhyser, the prosecuting attorney for the case, said Wheeler's strength and physical conditioning could have led to the victim's death as he allegedly strangled and suffocated her into unconsciousness twice, "leaving her for dead as blood poured from her nose and mouth, and into her stomach and lungs."

Wheeler is listed at 6 feet 7 and 310 pounds, while the alleged victim is 5 feet 9 and 145 pounds, according to charging documents and the police report.

The police report said the alleged victim believed Wheeler had been taking medication for bipolar disorder but had not taken it lately.

Wheeler on Wednesday tweeted about the events over the weekend. He apologized to the victim and her family for the "pain and suffering" he caused them.

"It is time for me to walk away from football and get the help I need to never again pose a threat to another," Wheeler said.

The Seahawks on Wednesday cut ties with Wheeler, waiving him after an earlier statement condemning the allegations. Wheeler had been scheduled to be a restricted free agent when the new NFL league year began in March, but by waiving him, he will be an unrestricted free agent immediately should he clear waivers.

The NFL is reviewing Wheeler's case under the league's personal conduct policy, according to the NFL Network.

"The Seahawks are saddened by the details emerging against Chad Wheeler and strongly condemn this act of domestic violence," the statement said. "Our thoughts and support are with the victim. Chad is a free agent and no longer with the team."

The statement ended with resources for those experiencing domestic violence and mental health issues.

Wheeler's case — which first became known Monday night — ballooned into a national sports story by Wednesday morning, with national media and Wheeler's former teammates with the Seahawks and at USC chiming in.

"There's zero tolerance for that," longtime Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright, who's scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in March, said of the allegations against Wheeler to Q13's Michelle Ludtka. "When I saw the pictures, I was just devastated and heartbroken that that happened. It's going to be addressed. If it does come out to be true, he has to suffer the consequences. It's unfortunate that had to happen.

"We have domestic (violence) talks every year," Wright continued. "We go over it. There's no room for it. (Wheeler) has to answer to what happened and I just hope the young lady pulls through and comes back to full recovery."

Wheeler signed to Seattle’s practice squad in October 2019 and appeared in five games with the team, all this past season.

In his five games with the Seahawks in 2020, Wheeler played 65 offensive snaps and 22 special teams snaps as a backup. He filled in at right tackle for Seattle when there were injuries to other players. Wheeler played a season-high 60% of offensive snaps in the Seahawks’ Week 14 victory over the Jets.

An undrafted free agent out of USC in 2017, Wheeler started in 19 of 27 games with the Giants from 2017-18. He was waived/injured by the Giants in August of 2019 before signing with the Seahawks’ practice squad two months later.

Wheeler was a first-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2016 as a senior and a second-team all-conference selection as a junior. He was a four-year starter for the Trojans.

He had an arraignment scheduled for Feb . 9, which got moved on Thursday to Feb. 1. According to the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, Wheeler could face between 7 years and 9 months to 12 years and 3 months in prison.