- Former NFL player Chris Wheeler was arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence last month.
- His ex-girlfriend, Alleah Taylor, has spoken out about the alleged abuse for the first time.
- She says she will have to deal with her injuries for the rest of her life.
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Alleah Taylor, the ex-girlfriend of former Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Chad Wheeler, has spoken out for the first time since the former NFL player was arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence last month.
Taylor shared details of the incident with CBS “This Morning” on Wednesday, saying Wheeler choked her until she blacked out after she refused to bow to him.
According to police reports obtained by The Seattle Times, Taylor’s arm was also dislocated in the incident, and when officers arrived on scene, she was bleeding.
“I still have to regularly get my concussion checked… I have bolts, and steel, and a steel plate I’m gonna have forever in my arm… I’m gonna have… gonna have to deal with this the rest of my life,” Taylor told CBS “This Morning” on Wednesday.
Wheeler has pleaded not guilty to three charges, including domestic violence assault.
In a statement after his arrest, he said he was experiencing a manic episode when the incident happened.
"I am deeply sorry for the pain and suffering that I have caused to [Taylor] and her family," he told ESPN, adding that he was seeking help.
Taylor, who said she had been dating Wheeler for about six months before the alleged attack, told CBS that she knew Wheeler had bipolar disorder and believes he "snapped into a dark place" that night.
"He, he stood up. And he told me to bow down. And I asked him why. And he didn't respond. He just told me to bow down again. And I told him no. And he immediately grabbed my neck. And that's when things began," she said.
Taylor told police that when she regained consciousness after the alleged attack, Wheeler was near her and said, "Wow you're alive?"
She told CBS that she believes Wheeler should serve jail time.
"I have to say the hardest part of all this wasn't the surgeries. It wasn't any of that. It was getting a call from my niece and nephews... They thought they had lost me. And the pain in their voice. I will never forget that. I will never forget that," she said.
Wheeler was released on a $400,000 bail bond, and a trial is scheduled to start on April 6.
His lawyer did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.