NFL star Richard Sherman booked on domestic violence charge
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 19: Richard Sherman #25 of the San Francisco 49ers looks on during the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi’s Stadium on January 19, 2020 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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Former Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers star Richard Sherman was arrested Wednesday after authorities said he tried to force his way into a family member’s home in suburban Seattle and fought with officers, who used police dogs to apprehend him.
Sherman was booked into the King County Correctional Facility in Seattle just after 6 a.m. on suspicion of so-called burglary domestic violence, according to online records.
It wasn’t immediately clear if Sherman had an attorney who could speak on his behalf. His initial court hearing wasn’t expected until Thursday.
A resident called 911 just before 2 a.m., saying someone was trying to force his way into a home in Redmond, Washington, police said.
A statement from police says officers found Sherman outside the home and he fought with them while being taken into custody, “resulting in a Redmond K9 team being deployed to assist in gaining control.”
Police said the Washington State Patrol also was investigating a hit-and-run crash tied to Sherman. Before arriving at the home, he is suspected of striking a cement barrier on a busy state highway in the area and running away from his severely damaged vehicle.
The NFL said in a statement about Sherman that it “investigates any incident involving law enforcement and if there is a violation of the personal conduct policy the player would be facing discipline.”
Sherman become a Seattle sports legend during seven seasons with Seahawks. The cornerback was a star in their run to a 2014 Super Bowl victory, making a game-saving play to deflect a pass in the NFC Championship Game against the 49ers.
He left the Seahawks after the 2017 season and played three seasons with San Francisco. The 33-year-old is now a free agent.
The NFL Players Association said the union was monitoring the situation.
“We were made aware of an arrest last night of one of our player leaders for an alleged domestic violence incident and have activated our domestic violence crisis protocol for the protection and support of everyone involved,” a union statement said.
Sherman would likely make an initial court appearance Thursday afternoon, said Casey McNerthney, a spokesman for the King County Prosecutor’s office.
Police in Redmond have scheduled a 1:30 p.m. news conference.
