Editors’ note: This story contains accounts of domestic violence. If you or someone you know is a survivor of domestic abuse, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or at https://www.thehotline.org/
Texas men’s basketball coach Chris Beard has been suspended without pay and will not coach in the team’s game against Rice on Monday night following his morning arrest, the school announced less than two hours before tip-off.
“The University take matters of interpersonal violence involving members of its community seriously,” Texas said in a statement. “Given the information available, The University has suspended Chris Beard from his position as head coach of Men’s Basketball and will withhold his pay until further notice.”
Associate head coach Rodney Terry will serve as the head coach for the game against Rice, the school said.
Videos showed Beard leaving Travis County Jail just before 3 p.m. local time. The coach remained silent as media members asked him various questions, including what his status was for Monday night’s game.
KVUE’s Tyler Feldman reports that men’s basketball managing director Chris Ogden picked Beard up from the jail.
Beard was arrested by the Austin Police Department and processed at 4:18 a.m. CT on Monday, according to the Travis County Sheriff’s Office. He was charged with third-degree felony assault on a family/household member, per reports.
According to Myron Medcalf and Jeff Borzello of ESPN, Austin police responded to a “disturbance hotshot” call shortly after midnight Monday. Disturbance hotshot situations are “incidents in progress that are an immediate threat to life and/or public safety.” The felony charge for Beard included “impeding breath circulation.”
The charge that Beard faces, assault on a family or household member in which their breath was impeded, carries a possible punishment of two to 10 years in prison in the state of Texas, according to the Associated Press.
Beard’s attorney, Perry Minton, said earlier Monday that Beard is not guilty of the charge and that his client was wrongly arrested.
“Coach Beard is 100% innocent of these charges,” Minton said, per Tony Plohetski of the Austin American-Statesman. “He should have never been arrested. The complainant wants him released immediately and all charges dismissed. It is truly inconceivable.”
Beard is in his second season as the coach at Texas, which is ranked No. 2 in the most recent AP poll. The Longhorns (7–1) will host Rice (6–2) at 8 p.m. ET Monday.
