Texas men’s basketball coach Chris Beard was arrested early Monday on a felony family violence charge after a woman told police he strangled and bit her.

Beard led Texas Tech to the 2019 NCAA championship game and was hired away by the Longhorns with expectations he’d elevate his alma mater to the same elite level.

Chris Beard’s Bio and Wiki

Chris Beard was suspended without pay “until further notice.” On Monday night, associate head coach Rodney Terry led the No. 7 Longhorns to an 87-81 overtime victory over Rice.

At 4:18 a.m. CT, Austin police arrested Beard and booked him into the Travis County prison on a charge of assault on a family or household member in which their breath was obstructed. In Texas, the charge is a third-degree felony, punishable by two to ten years in jail.

The woman informed officers she is his fiancée and they had been in a relationship for six years, according to the arrest document originally reported by the Austin American-Statesman. She claimed they had argued and she had broken his glasses before he “just snapped on me and became really violent.”

The woman told police, “He choked me, bit me, bruises all over my leg, threw me around and going insane,” according to the affidavit.

She informed the authorities. Beard choked her from behind with his arm around her neck for about five seconds, and she couldn’t breathe. She had a bite mark on her right arm and an abrasion on her right temple, among other noticeable injuries, according to police.

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When confronted by authorities, Beard said he had audio recordings of the incident that proved he was not the major attacker. However, he refused to share them with officers, according to police.

Beard appeared before a magistrate judge for his bond hearing while dressed in jailhouse black-and-gray stripes and with his wrists tied in front at his waist. Beard was instructed he may speak with the woman but not in a threatening manner, that he had to keep 200 yards away from the property where police were summoned, and that he was not allowed to possess a firearm.

Texas suspends coach Chris Beard after arrest on assault charge for alleged strangulation of family member

Official Statements of Chris Beard Suspend

When addressing the judge, Beard bowed his head and said “yes, sir” multiple times. According to jail records, Beard secured a $10,000 bond. When he left the jail with his attorney, Perry Minton, he refused to answer any questions.

Minton declined to comment, but previously told the American-Statesman that the coach is not guilty.

Minton told the newspaper, “He should never have been arrested.” “The complainant demands that he be released immediately and that all charges against him be dropped. It’s truly unfathomable.”

It was unclear whether the woman has an attorney. The document identified her, but The Associated Press does not normally identify alleged victims of violent violence without their agreement.

In announcing Beard’s suspension, the institution stated, “The university takes problems of interpersonal violence involving members of its community seriously.” It did not extend Terry’s contract as acting coach beyond Monday night. Terry formerly served as head coach at UTEP (2018-2021) and Fresno State (2011-2018).

Beard is in the second year of a seven-year contract worth more than $5 million per year. He went 112-55 in five seasons with the Red Raiders before that. In 2019, he was voted The Associated Press coach of the year after leading Texas Tech to a 31-7 record and an overtime loss to Virginia in the national title game.

Texas Tech administrators were irritated by his departure for Texas, which came after a meeting with Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte that included a McDonald’s breakfast an hour north of Lubbock.

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Beard admitted it was a difficult decision, but he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to coach at his alma institution, where he was a student assistant three decades ago. He guided Texas to a first-round victory over Virginia Tech earlier this year, the Longhorns’ first NCAA tournament victory since 2014.

Beard’s contract includes a clause that allows him to be fired for cause if the administration believes his behavior reflects negatively on the coach, program, school, or university system. Being charged with a felony is one of them.

Kevin Eltife, Chairman of the University of Texas System Board of Regents, did not respond to a message requesting comment.

Arterio Morris, a freshman guard from Texas, is facing a misdemeanor family violence allegation arising from a June arrest following an argument with a former girlfriend. He has a court appearance scheduled for Wednesday in Denton County, near Dallas.

Despite the charge, Morris, a top national recruit, has been allowed to play this season and averages 17 minutes and 6.5 points per game. Morris’ attorney, Justin Moore, has stated that his client is not guilty of the assault complaint.

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