Washington's NFL team released running back Derrius Guice, who was arrested Friday on charges stemming from "three domestic-related incidents" earlier this year, officials said.
Guice, 23, faces one count of strangulation, three counts of assault and battery, and one count destruction of property, a spokesman for the Loudon County Sheriff's Office in Virginia said in an email.
The incidents, described as three assaults, happened in February, March and April at Guice's home in Ashburn, and the sheriff's office was made aware of the allegations on July 22, sheriff's office director of media relations and communications Kraig Troxell said.
Guice's attorney, Peter Greenspun, said in a statement that the athlete will defend the charges in court. He said local law enforcement did not seek a statement or any input from Guice before arrest warrants were issued.
"Based only on the assertion of these unsubstantiated charges, the Washington Football Team released Derrius, also without any inquiry as to what did or did not take place," Greenspun said.
The NFL team said it was made aware of a "potential domestic violence-related incident" on Thursday, notified the league and met with the running back to say he was excused from all team activities pending a review.
"This afternoon we learned that there were multiple charges filed against Derrius," the team said in a statement. "Upon review of the nature of these charges and following internal discussions, we have decided to release Derrius immediately."
Guice turned himself in and was released on a $10,000 bond, Troxell said. He was booked at the Loudoun Adult Detention Center shortly after 6 p.m.
Guice's attorney said the team rushed to judgment.
"Derrius will defend these charges in court, where a full vetting of the allegations will take place, in contrast to actions by local law enforcement and the Washington Football Team that assumed the worst, directly contradicting every sense of fairness and due process," Greenspun said.
Guice was drafted by Washington in 2018.
He was placed on injured reserve in December to end his 2019 season four games after he had returned from a torn meniscus, the team said at the time.
That season he played five games, rushed for 245 yards on 42 carries and had two touchdowns. He missed his entire rookie season in 2018 with a knee injury, NBC Sports reported.
The sheriff's office said the alleged victim in the case first reported it to police in Montgomery County, Maryland, which is where the victim lives.
The three incidents allegedly occurred on Feb. 14, March 13 and April 17 and happened at Guice's home, which is in Loudon County.
The Washington Post, which reported the arrest earlier Friday, reported that Guice had faced a stiff battle for playing time, as the team had signed Adrian Peterson after Guice's injury in 2018 and that he was also competing with several other newcomers.
The team is now known officially as the "Washington Football Team" after dropping its controversial previous name which has long been condemned as an anti-Indigenous slur.
The team has not announced its new name.
