Texas Coach Chris Beard Suspended Without Pay, Accused Of 'Choking,' 'Going Nuts' On Fiancée

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As reported earlier on OutKick, Texas basketball coach Chris Beard was arrested early Monday morning for assault on a family member.

Details have begun to emerge about the incident, which allegedly occurred with his fiancée with whom he lives.

According to the arrest affidavit, Beard has been charged with "Assault by Strangulation/Suffocation -- Family Violence." In Texas, that is classified as a third-degree felony.

Booking photo of Texas basketball coach Chris Beard.

Booking photo of Texas basketball coach Chris Beard. (Credit: Travis County Sheriff's office)

According to the arrest report, Beard's fiancée says that the pair were having a disagreement about their relationship for multiple days. Then, she claims Beard "just snapped on and became super violent."

She also alleges that Beard "choked , threw off the bed, bit " and caused "bruises all over leg" while "throwing around and going nuts."

Texas suspends Chris Beard without pay

Beard has been suspended without pay by Texas, which plays Rice at home on Monday night. Rodney Terry will be the head coach in Beard's absence, the university said in a statement.

"The University takes matters of interpersonal violence involving members of its community seriously," the statement reads.

Beard is in his second season with the Longhorns after spending five seasons at Texas Tech. Texas went 22-12 last season, the first under Beard, and the team was eliminated in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament.

This season, Texas is 7-1 and in the No. 7 team in the country. The school opened as preseason No. 12 and spent two weeks at No. 2. A loss against Illinois last week dropped the Longhorns from that No. 2 spot in the latest poll.

Texas has the aforementioned game against Rice on Monday before a neutral site game Sunday in Dallas against Stanford. That game is being played as part of the Pac-12 Coast-to-Coast Challenge.

OutKick will provide updates on Beard's status as they become available.

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to Outkick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named “Brady” because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.