Sports

Bills star booked for alleged assault of pregnant woman

Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller turned himself in to authorities Thursday after Dallas police issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with an alleged assault.

A Dallas Police Department spokesperson told USA TODAY Sports in an email Thursday morning that Miller, the 34-year-old Pro Bowl pass-rusher, had been charged with assaulting a pregnant woman after police responded to a call to a condominium complex in the northern part of the city at around 11 a.m. on Wednesday. A preliminary investigation determined that Miller and the victim had gotten into a verbal argument prior to the alleged assault, after which Miller left the scene, according to police.

The victim was treated for minor injuries but not transported to a hospital, the spokesperson added.

Miller later surrendered to Glenn Heights police and was briefly booked at the DeSoto Regional Jail. His agent did not immediately reply to a request for comment from USA TODAY Sports on Thursday morning, and it is not immediately clear whether he has retained an attorney.

The Bills are in the midst of their bye week following a 37-34 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

‘This morning, we were made aware of an incident involving Von Miller,’ the team said in a statement Thursday. ‘We are in the process of gathering more information and will have no further comment at this point.”

The NFL said it is also aware of the matter and has been in contact with the Bills.

‘We have no further comment at this time,’ NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy wrote in an email. ‘The league will monitor all legal developments in the case.’

According to a copy of the arrest affidavit published by CBS News, the victim told police that she is six weeks pregnant and has been in a relationship with Miller for seven years. Dallas police said the arrest warrant was issued for ‘Assault – Pregnant Person,’ which is a third-degree felony under criminal law in Texas.

In a text message exchange with Dallas TV station WFAA, the victim told a reporter that ‘things were blown way out of context,’ calling the incident ‘a huge misunderstanding.’

‘No one assaulted anyone,’ she told WFAA. ‘This is insane. And sad.’

USA TODAY Sports does not identify individuals who allege domestic violence without their permission.

According to the affidavit, the victim told police that she had gotten into an argument with Miller over travel plans. She said he shoved her, put a hand around her neck, pulled her hair and stomped on her laptop as she attempted to leave the room, the affidavit said.

Miller appeared to be spending time in his hometown during the Bills’ week off, ahead of their next game against Kansas City on Dec. 10. He grew up in DeSoto, Texas − a suburb of Dallas − and played collegiately at Texas A&M before going on to become the No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft. For much of the past decade, he has been one of the top pass-rushers in the league, recording 123.5 sacks and reaching eight Pro Bowls as a pro to date.

More recently, however, Miller has struggled with injuries and seen a dip in his production. He has recorded just two tackles and no sacks so far in 2023, which marks the second year of his six-year, $120 million contract with the Bills.

Miller was previously the subject of a police investigation in Parker, Colorado, but the nature of the probe was never publicly disclosed. Prosecutors announced in 2021 that he would not face any criminal charges.

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on social media @Tom_Schad.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY