Tom GantertLeesburg, VA – The Washington Football Team released running back Derrius Guice on Friday less than two hours after he was arrested on domestic violence charges.
Police said the warrants were issued for 23-year-old Guice in connection with domestic violence incidents that occurred in Loudoun County on Feb. 14, March 13, and April 17, according to WTOP.
The running back lives in Loudoun County where the football team is headquartered and holds training camp.
Guice was charged with one count of strangulation, three counts of assault and battery and one count of destruction of property, WTOP reported.
The allegations were initially reported to police in Montgomery County, Maryland where the victim lives.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office became aware of the incidents on July 22, according to WTOP.
Guice turned himself in and was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond.
Derrius Guice has turned himself in on domestic violence charges, including one count of strangulation, per @washingtonpost pic.twitter.com/CNkUkdQ7wj
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 7, 2020
RB Derrius Guice has been released by the Washington Football Team following a domestic violence investigation, the team announced. pic.twitter.com/kFlASWnhie
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 7, 2020
Peter Greenspun, the defense attorney who represented Washington sniper John Allen Muhammad, has been retained by Guice, WTOP reported.
Greenspun said his client “adamantly denies” the charges.
The defense attorney complained that the police investigators didn’t seek a statement or any input from Guice before the warrants for his arrest were issued and then his football team summarily fired him, WTOP reported.
“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, according to WTOP. “… he was released without a single question as to what occurred.”
He said Guice will defend the charges in court.
“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, according to WTOP.
The Washington Football Team said it first learned of Guice’s involvement in a domestic incident on Aug. 6, ESPN reported.
The team posted a statement to social media on Friday.
We have released RB Derrius Guice pic.twitter.com/L3mOP8GCIX
— Washington Football Team (@WashingtonNFL) August 7, 2020
“On Thursday we learned of a potential domestic violence related incident involving RB Derrius Guice,” the team tweeted. “We immediately alerted the National Football League and have continued to work with them during this process. We then met with Derrius to inform him that he was excused from all team activity pending a review of this matter.”
“This afternoon we learned that were multiple charges filed against Derrius,” the statement continued. “Upon review of the nature of these charges and following internal discussions, we have decided to release Derrius immediately.”
Guice played college football at Louisiana State University, ESPN reported.
He suffered a knee injury in the preseason and missed the Washington Redskins’ 2018 season.
In 2019, he had 245 yards rushing, according to ESPN.
Guice has earned $2.5 million in salary in his two seasons in the National Football League.
Holly Matkin
