Chad Wheeler, a former offensive lineman for the Seattle Seahawks and New York Giants, has been sentenced to 81 months in prison following his conviction for a violent assault on his ex-girlfriend, Alleah Taylor.
Wheeler was found guilty by a jury on charges of first- and second-degree domestic violence assault in connection with the January 2021 incident. However, he was acquitted of a third charge of unlawful imprisonment, as reported by FOX 13 Seattle.
According to Taylor’s account to the police, the altercation began when Wheeler demanded that she submit to him. When she refused, Wheeler allegedly became enraged and choked her until she lost consciousness. Taylor reported that when she regained consciousness, Wheeler expressed surprise that she had survived the assault.
“In 2021, Taylor recounted to ‘CBS This Morning’ how the incident unfolded, stating, ‘He stood up. And he told me to bow down. And I asked him why. And he didn’t respond. He just told me to bow down again. And I told him no. And he immediately grabbed my neck. And that’s when things began.’
She further described, ‘I had touched my face. And I looked down, and there was, there’s blood on my hand… I remember getting up and running to the bathroom. Chad was standing by the bed, by the doorway. And he was sipping his smoothie and was, like, ‘Wow, you’re still alive.'”
Ahead of Wheeler’s sentencing on Friday, Taylor expressed relief that justice was soon to be served.
Wheeler asserts that he suffers from bipolar disorder and stated that he was undergoing a “manic episode” during the assault, which resulted in Taylor being hospitalized.
The 30-year-old Wheeler entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent from USC, signing with the Giants in 2017. He played for the Giants for over two seasons before joining the Seahawks in October 2019. However, following his arrest for the attack on Taylor, he was waived by the Seahawks in January 2021.
