Houston Texans safety Jimmie Ward was arrested on accusations that he strangled his fiancée, Montgomery County deputies confirmed via ABC 13.
Ward, 33, was charged with assault family violence impeding breath/circulation, which is considered a third-degree felony in adherence with Texas law. Montgomery County Sheriff's Office records obtained by ABC 13 showed that the alleged incident took place at Ward's home at around 4:30 a.m. on Thursday (June 12).
Deputies arrived at Ward's home and spoke to his fiancée, who claimed to have been assaulted, strangled and threatened by the NFL player and said she wanted to file an Emergency Protective Order to ensure her immediate and ongoing safety. The Texans confirmed they were aware of the report involving Ward in a statement to ABC 13.
"We are aware of the report involving Jimmie Ward. We are gathering information and have no further comment at this time," the team said.
Ward was selected by the San Francisco 49ers at No. 30 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft and spent his first nine seasons with the franchise before signing a two-year, $13 million contract with the Texans in 2013. The former Northern Illinois University standout signed a one-year, $10.5 million contract extension, which included $8.75 million guaranteed upon signing and an initial signing bonus of $5.25 million last August.