RICHMOND, Va. — Football penalties usually cost a team a few yards. A Virginia man’s alleged approach to avoiding interruptions could cost considerably more.
Terry Ward, 64, faces felony abduction and misdemeanor domestic assault charges after allegedly taping his wife to a chair in their basement. Reports linking the incident to his desire to watch football have turned the case into a viral story, although police have not confirmed that motive.
Officers responded to a reported domestic disturbance at the couple’s Maplewood Avenue home near Byrd Park around 11:30 p.m. Oct. 11. Ward’s wife told investigators she had been restrained for 30 to 45 minutes. An officer reported seeing marks and tape residue on her arms, according to a criminal complaint cited by Richmond television station WTVR. wtvr.com
The complaint also describes an apparent admission from Ward, who allegedly acknowledged tying his wife to the chair and placing her in the basement.
The football explanation originated with sources cited by Virginia Statewide Incidents, a local incident-reporting outlet, and was subsequently repeated in news coverage. Richmond police told the New York Post they could not confirm whether Ward was watching football while his wife was restrained. wtvr.com
That distinction matters: The alleged restraint is described in the criminal complaint. The claim that it was all about uninterrupted football remains unconfirmed.
Still, the account has supplied the internet with an unusually literal interpretation of a household “timeout.” If the reported motive proves accurate, it would also rank among the least successful attempts to secure a quiet evening in front of the television.
Instead of being left alone with the game, Ward now faces a court appearance and a felony charge.
He is scheduled to return Nov. 10 to Richmond Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. The charges are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless proved guilty.
Whatever happened upstairs, the central allegation concerns what happened downstairs: A woman told police her husband restrained her against her will. The football angle may explain why the story traveled. The alleged conduct explains why officers did.
