Texas Longhorns suspends coach Chris Beard without pay after his arrest over 'strangling a family member'
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AUSTIN, TEXAS: Texas Longhorns basketball coach Chris Beard, 49, was suspended without pay after being arrested on Monday, December 12, for allegedly "strangling a family member." Beard was arrested on Monday at 4.18 am on a third-degree charge of "assault of a family/household member, impede breath circulation or strangulation."
According to Fox News, the official statement says, "The University takes matters of interpersonal violence involving members of its community seriously. 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." However, he was released from Travis County Jail after paying a $10,000 bond at 2.44 pm.
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Meanwhile, Beard is permitted to communicate with the alleged victim in a non-threatening manner. However, he must stay 200 yards away from the residence, where police were called and were told he could not possess a firearm, reported ESPN. According to Austin Police Department, they received a "disturbance hotshot" call, and officers rushed to the 1900 block of Vista Lane shortly. it was deemed "no longer ongoing" and one individual had left home. Officers had located a woman later who claimed she had been "assaulted and strangled" by Beard, reported Fox News.
According to ESPN, Perry Minton, Beard's attorney, said Beard "is 100% innocent of these charges." He then claimed, "He should never have been arrested. The complainant wants him released immediately, and all charges dismissed. It is truly inconceivable." Meanwhile, Associate head coach Rodney Terry will serve as acting head coach for the time being.
Beard had great achievements in his career, including the 2019 NCAA Championship Game appearance with Texas tech and a 2018 Elite Eight spot. After he landed with Longhorns as a coach, they won their First Round NCAA tournament game against Virginia Tech before falling to Purdue in the second round. The team is now at Number 7 on the latest AP Top 25 poll, are currently 7-1 to start the 2022-23 season, reported Daily Mail. The 49-year-old is in his second season with Longhorns and was on]a seven-year guaranteed contract that pays him more than $5 million per year. Previously he was 112-55 in five seasons with Texas Tech, reported ESPN. However, his contract also includes a provision under which he can be fired for "cause for conduct the administration reasonably determines reflects poorly on the coach, program, school or university system." This provision also includes felony.