Content Warning: This story contains depictions of domestic violence.
Houston Texans safety Jimmie Ward has been arrested twice in two months and is now facing a civil lawsuit from the woman he allegedly assaulted in June, according to multiplereports Thursday.
Ward, 34, was arrested on June 12 on a felony domestic violence charge. The suit, filed Wednesday in Harris County (Texas) District Court by the plaintiff, alleges that she was “violently assaulted multiple times, both sexually and physically” by Ward, whom she also accuses of drug use, emotional abuse, financial manipulation and death threats, according to ESPN’s report. She is reportedly seeking $20 million in damages.
The suit notes that Ward and the woman have been together for years and share a 3-year-old child, who allegedly has been present while Ward has allegedly assaulted the woman, according to ABC13.
The woman reportedly alleges that early on the morning of June 12, Ward slapped, choked and threatened her and forced her to perform oral sex. The ESPN report states that as soon as the woman got a chance to remove herself and the child from the home, she took the child and ran into the street. The woman was naked at the time, and that’s when she called 911, per the report.
Reporting from the Houston Chronicle that day detailed that Ward was arrested around 5:30 a.m. after deputies with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office responded to the situation. Ward was released that afternoon on $30,000 bond.
Since Ward’s initial arrest, he has violated his bond agreement twice, according to the suit: first when he contacted the woman and then again when he tested positive for alcohol, per ESPN’s report. The second violation resulted in another arrest of Ward earlier this month.
“Our main focus right now is the grand jury, that is set for first week of September, to try to convince the grand jury that Jimmie should not be indicted,” Ward’s attorney, Stephen Jackson, told ESPN.
“We’re going to take this one step at a time. We’re going to focus on the criminal allegations to try to get those dismissed, and then we’ll focus on the civil suit.”
The plaintiff’s attorney is Tony Buzbee, whose firm recently represented a woman who filed a since-settled lawsuit that accused Pro Football Hall of Famer and media personality Shannon Sharpe of rape.
Notably, Buzbee also represented multiple women in sexual misconduct and assault cases against former Texans and current Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was ultimately suspended 11 games by the NFL in 2022 and fined $5 million after facing accusations from more than 24 massage therapists.
While the Texans declined comment to ESPN, the franchise’s general manager, Nick Caserio, said the team would “kind of let the legal process take care of itself” when he was asked about the matter on the first day of training camp.
Ward is on Houston’s physically unable to perform list due to a sprained foot he’s still recovering from. The injury required season-ending surgery last season.
Ward, voted a Texans captain in 2023 and 2024, has not practiced during camp this year and has not been activated.
