Houston Texans defensive back Jimmie Ward was arrested early Thursday in Montgomery County after allegedly assaulting and strangling his fiancée during a domestic dispute. The veteran NFL safety faces a serious felony charge.
The Houston Texans' Jimmie Ward, who has played in the NFL for 11 seasons, was arrested early Thursday morning in Magnolia, Texas, after a claimed domestic violence incident involving his fiancée.
Around 4:30 a.m., Sheriff's deputies from Montgomery County went to Ward's home after hearing reports of an assault in progress. When the police got there, the woman said Ward, 33, had hit her, choked her, and made threats. The police nabbed Ward at the scene, and nothing else happened.
Ward is facing a third-degree felony charge in Texas for attack, family violence, impeding breath or circulation, according to the sheriff's office. The maximum sentence for him is 10 years in jail and a $10,000 fine.
Ward stayed in jail at the Montgomery County Jail on Thursday afternoon, and online court records did not show that he had a lawyer representing him.
The Houston Texans issued a brief statement confirming that the event had occurred.
"We are aware of the report about Jimmie Ward," Omar Majzoub, a spokesman for the Texans, said. "We are gathering information and do not have anything else to say at this time."
After nine years with the San Francisco 49ers, who picked him in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft out of Northern Illinois University, Ward joined the Texans in 2023. Ward has started 99 of the 126 regular-season games he has played in. He is known for being versatile and a leader on defense.
As the case progresses, the NFL and the Texans are expected to conduct their investigations. Accusations of domestic abuse against NFL players have led to punishments in the past under the league's personal conduct policy.
As of Thursday evening, no more court times had been set.
