Baylor defensive back Travon Blanchard was arrested Tuesday on charges related to a February incident in which a woman accused him of assaulting her outside of a restaurant and other acts of domestic violence.
The Fort Bend (Texas) County district attorney's office told ESPN that Baylor University Police arrested Blanchard on Tuesday with assistance from the McLennan County Sheriff's office. Blanchard is charged with misdemeanor assault family violence and posted $6,000 bond.
Baylor suspended Blanchard from football-related activities on Feb. 7, after the woman accused him of multiple acts of violence and received a protective order from a judge.
Baylor coach Matt Rhule told reporters at Big 12 media days that Blanchard remained suspended and his status hadn't changed.
The school issued a statement on Wednesday.
"Travon Blanchard was suspended from all football team activities immediately after learning of allegations made against him in February," it read. "That status has not changed and he has had no involvement with the program since that time. The university is aware of his arrest and will monitor the developments of this charge for any additional decision regarding his affiliation as a student-athlete."
Blanchard's attorney, Michelle Tuegel, offered a statement to ESPN.
"The accusations made against Travon are the same accusations made by the same woman who requested the protective order filed earlier this year," the attorney said. "Her initial accusations connected to this arrest were also contained in the February 2017 police or event report we released earlier this year. The woman alleged that Travon snatched keys out of her hand which she claimed cut her pinky finger in the process. We look forward to representing Travon and bringing out the truth in court."
The protective order stipulates Blanchard, a senior from Orange, Texas, is to have no communication with the woman and is to stay away from her apartment.
According to an affidavit for the protective order filed by the district attorney's office, Blanchard allegedly became upset when a waiter approached the woman at a restaurant on Feb. 4 and asked whether they knew each other.
Blanchard "began verbally abusing the applicant" and followed her as she tried to leave, the affidavit says. He allegedly grabbed her hand in an attempt to take her car keys and broke her finger. The affidavit says the woman cut her finger "to the point where she was unable to have it stitched." The woman flagged down a police officer, but Blanchard fled the scene, and police weren't able to locate him.
In an earlier incident on Jan. 17, the affidavit alleges, Blanchard became upset when the woman received a Snapchat message from a male friend. The affidavit says he picked her up and "began tossing and shoving the applicant around the apartment, slamming her into the sofa, bed, and walls several times causing soreness in her entire body."
The woman also alleged two incidents of violence by Blanchard in 2016. In November 2016, the affidavit says, he became upset about a Twitter post she made and "grabbed both of [her] arms, backed her up roughly 10 feet, slammed her against the car, and threw her on the floor (similar to a football tackle)."
On July 4, 2016, the affidavit alleges, Blanchard "rushed the applicant, grabbed her by her wrists, began swearing and insulting her, and attempted to force himself and the applicant into her apartment." The affidavit says her friends tried to intervene, but Blanchard became "increasingly violent" and someone called police.
The affidavit says Blanchard continued to force her inside of her apartment in front of police, and let go only when "the police threatened him with an arrest for insubordination." It isn't clear whether an incident report was filed by police, or whether Baylor officials were aware of the altercation.
In addition to physical violence, the affidavit alleges that Blanchard "controls many aspects of the applicant's life" including what she can wear, whom she talks to, and what she posts on social media. It also alleges he "damages the applicant's property when she tries to break up with him, as well as place a joker card, otherwise known as the killer card, on her car."
Blanchard was a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist as the country's top defensive back last season. He was the Bears' fourth-leading tackler with 73 stops, nine tackles for loss, 1½ sacks and an interception.