Trial against former Seahawk accused of beating, choking girlfriend in 2021 starts Thursday

When officers arrived, they heard screaming from inside the apartment. After forcing their way inside, they heard more screaming coming from the bathroom, court documents say. Officers found Taylor and Wheeler locked in the bathroom.

Taylor’s face was covered in blood and her left arm was limp against her body, according to a police report. An officer also noted she had “noticeable fingerprints on both sides of her neck as well as capillaries that had burst at the back of her throat.”

Wheeler allegedly choked her into unconsciousness twice.

A COVID-19 backlog had initially delayed the trial, which will now start Thursday with testimony from Taylor.

• Follow this link to read additional stories from KIRO 7