University of Texas basketball coach Chris Beard charged with assault
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Head coach Chris Beard of the Texas Longhorns. Photo: Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
University of Texas men's basketball coach Chris Beard was in the Travis County Jail on Monday morning after being charged with third-degree felony assault on a family member, Axios confirmed with the Travis County sheriff's office.
- By Monday evening he had been suspended indefinitely without pay by the university.
What happened: Shortly after midnight on Monday, the Austin Police Department received a 911 call about a disturbance at a property near Windsor Road, just west of MoPac.
- Responding police officers "located a woman who stated she had been assaulted and strangled" by Beard, per an Austin police news release.
- Beard was booked into the Travis County Jail shortly after 4am on a charge of assault by strangulation/suffocation — family violence, per APD. He posted $10,000 bail Monday afternoon, per the Austin American-Statesman.
- Of note: The third-degree felony carries a punishment range of two to 10 years in prison with fines up to $10,000 upon conviction.
Details: An emergency protective order has been issued against him for two months, per KXAN.
- Under the order, he may not carry a firearm or ammunition; appear within 200 yards of the person he was accused of assaulting; or appear within 200 yards of the home where the reported disturbance took place.
- The order also prevents Beard from speaking to the person in a threatening manner.
What they're saying: "The university takes matters of interpersonal violence involving members of its community seriously," a statement from UT officials said. "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."
- "Coach Beard is 100% innocent of these charges," his attorney, Perry Minton, said in a statement.
- A copy of the arrest affidavit was not yet available as of Monday afternoon.
Context: Now in his second season at the helm of the Longhorns, Beard earns more than $5 million annually, making him one of the highest-paid college basketball coaches nationally.
- Last year he led the Longhorns to a 22-12 record and their first NCAA Tournament win since 2014.
- Also: Per its contract with the coach, UT may fire or suspend Beard with cause if, "any conduct (a) that the university administration reasonably determines is clearly unbecoming to a head coach and reflects poorly on the university, the program, or the University of Texas system; or (b) resulting in a criminal charge being brought against a head coach involving a felony, or any crime involving theft, dishonesty, or moral turpitude," per reporting by the Austin American-Statesman.
This story has been updated to reflect that Beard posted bail Monday afternoon, that a protective ordered has been issued and that he has been suspended indefinitely.
