Reuben Foster was charged after an altercation involving his live-in girlfriend in California. (AP)
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster was charged Thursday after he allegedly dragged his girlfriend by her hair, threw her out of the house and repeatedly punched her, authorities said.
Foster, 24, was charged with felony domestic violence following an incident that occurred on Feb. 11 with his live-in girlfriend, who authorities did not identify. The victim flagged down a stranger’s car driving on Shannon Road in Los Gatos, Calif., and had the driver call 911.
The girlfriend told police she was physically attacked after an argument at the couple’s home.
“The victim told responding sheriff’s deputies and Los Gatos police that Foster dragged her by her hair, physically threw her out of the house, and punched her in the head 8 to 10 times,” Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office said in a news release.
The 28-year-old woman was taken to the hospital and treated for her injuries that included bruises and a ruptured eardrum.
Reuben Foster faces domestic violence charges after a February incident. (Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Police searched Foster’s home and found a Sig Sauer 516 rifle and large capacity magazine, which are both illegal to possess in California.
Foster also faces charges of forcefully attempting to prevent a victim from reporting a crime and possession of an assault weapon.
“Our focus is on holding accountable those who hurt their intimate partners. Our Office handles between four and five thousand domestic violence cases each year. We only hope that this case illuminates the tragic regularity of the rest,” prosecutor Kevin Smith said in a news release.
Foster faces more than 11 years in prison if convicted.
The football player was seen as one of NFL’s most promising young players. He started in all 10 games for the 49ers last year and named NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the month last November.
Foster, however, had another run-in with the law when he was arrested in January for marijuana possession in Alabama, AL.com reported.