Johnny Manziel’s girlfriend told police he threatened to kill her and himself the night a Fort Worth police helicopter went searching for him.
In police documents obtained by Dallas-Fort Worth ABC-affiliate WFAA, Colleen Crowley described a physical altercation at the Hotel ZaZa in Dallas: “I was crying and begged the valet, ‘Please don’t let him take me. I’m scared for my life!'”
Crowley says she attempted to flee from Manziel when they reached a car but he discovered her in the bushes.
“He grabbed me by my hair and threw me back into the car and got back in himself,” she maintained to police about the incident that allegedly took place last Friday night and Saturday morning. “He hit me with his open hand on my left ear for jumping out of the car. I realized immediately that I could not hear out of that ear, and I still cannot today, two days later.”
The couple, who broke up late last year after dating for more than two years, apparently fought over Manziel allegedly seeing another woman and because Manziel insisted on driving her home because of her alleged intoxication. As was the case when police in Avon, Ohio, stopped the couple in October, a phone factored into the dispute, with the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback allegedly refusing to give Crowley back her gadget. She claims Manziel eventually smashed her phone.
Crowley maintains that Manziel threatened to kill her and himself, and behaved psychotically or perhaps under the influence. She admits to pulling a knife on the former Texas A&M standout at her apartment, an action that allegedly sent Manziel fleeing from the scene.
Even prior to the release of this report, the Cleveland Browns appeared ready to give up on the 2014 first-round draft choice. ESPN reported that salary-cap reasons keep Cleveland from cutting ties before March.
The Browns released a statement earlier this week reacting to last weekend’s incident: “We’ve been clear about expectations for our players on and off the field. Johnny’s continual involvement in incidents that run counter to those expectations undermines the hard work of his teammates and the reputation of our organization. His status with our team will be addressed when permitted by league rules. We will have no further comment at this time.”
Both the Dallas and Fort Worth police departments reportedly closed the case without an arrest. Fort Worth police labeled her description of events “vague.” Manziel denies striking the woman.