Chris Beard, the head coach of the University of Texas men’s basketball team, was taken into custody early on Monday and charged with assault on a family member. After paying a $10,000 bail, he was freed.
Suspended
According to a statement, UT has suspended the second-year Longhorns coach without pay “until further notice.” Texas’ head coach for Monday night’s game versus Rice will be associate head coach Rodney Terry.
According to Austin police spokesperson Brandon Jones, Beard is charged with choking someone at a residence in West Austin’s Tarrytown neighborhood. At 2:07 in the morning, police responded to a 911 “disturbance-urgent” call. Monday.
According to the Travis County sheriff’s office’s prison logs, Beard was lodged at 4:18 a.m. He is charged with a third-degree felony for obstructing breathing while assaulting a member of his family or home.
Coach Chris Beard of the Texas men’s basketball team was taken into custody early on Monday and charged with assault on a family member. He was taken into custody and then released on a bail of $10,000.
The university is aware of the situation with Chris Beard, and we are continuing to gather information and watch the legal process, according to a brief statement sent by UT in the morning on the arrest.
In accordance with Beard’s affidavit, a police officer who had been dispatched in response to a 911 call just after midnight was greeted at the door by a lady who claimed to be Beard’s bride-to-be. The lady disclosed to the policeman that she and Beard had been displeased with one another for some days due to marital problems. When asked by the officer if the disagreement had been violent, the woman said “yes,” according to the police.
Police were informed by the victim that Beard had wrapped his arm over her neck while he was behind her, preventing her from breathing for five seconds.
While police arrived on the scene, Beard claimed to have audio recordings of the altercation that demonstrate he was not the main offender. According to police, Beard was unwilling to make the tapes public.
The woman had bite marks on her right forearm, an abrasion on her right eyebrow, abrasions on her left leg from the knee to the foot, and a cut on her left thumb with dried blood, according to the affidavit. The woman also stated that she had a cut to her left hand, scratches on her back and right eye, a bite mark on her right arm, an abrasion, and bruises on her left leg.
Affidavit
According to the affidavit, Beard and the woman had been dating for six years and engaged for three years. They live in the same house together.
In his second season in Austin, 49-year-old Beard. Coach spent five seasons at Texas Tech, where he guided the Red Raiders to the 2019 NCAA championship game, before taking over for Shaka Smart in 2021. Beard graduated from UT in 1995. He has previously served as head coach at Fort Scott Community College, Seminole State College, McMurry University, Angelo State, and Arkansas-Little Rock.
Beard signed a seven-year deal and a $5 million yearly compensation when the coach joined UT in 2021.
