Carolina Panthers Player Arrested for Threatening to Kill Ex-Girlfriend

A Carolina Panthers player was arrested in Frisco, Texas last week after his ex-girlfriend said he threatened to kill her, according to the Dallas Morning News. Damien Wilson, 28, is charged with assault with bodily injury of a family member, according to Frisco Police Sgt. Stephen Byrom. Toby Shook, Wilson’s attorney, is denying the allegations against the Panthers linebacker. 

“Damien Wilson did not commit any type of assault,” Shook told the newspaper, per ESPN. “We look forward to all the facts coming out so his name can be cleared.” The Panthers told the Dallas Morning News that the team was aware of Wilson’s arrest but didn’t comment any further on the situation. It’s not clear if Wilson was bailed out. 

Wilson’s ex-girlfriend, Ryan Sokolosky to the Dallas Morning News that she broke up with Wilson after he show up drunk at her apartment threatening to kill her with a tire iron. She also said Wilson destroyed her laptop and tried running her over before driving off. “He thinks all of it’s a joke because he’s rich and thinks he’s going to get out of everything,” she said to the newspaper. This is not the first time Wilson got in trouble with the law. In 2017, Wilson was accused of brandishing a rifle and threatening fans outside a soccer venue. He was arrested on two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon but was not indicted by a grand jury. 

Wilson was selected in the fourth round by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2015 NFL Draft. In his four seasons with the Cowboys, Wilson recorded 121 tackles, nine tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. In March 2019, Wilson signed a two-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs and helped the team win the Super Bowl later that year. Wilson started all 16 games that season and recorded 81 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Last year, Wilson signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars and had the best season in his career, registering 106 tackles, three sacks and five passes defended. He signed a two-year contract with the Panthers earlier this month. Wilson played college football at Minnesota where he totaled 110 tackles, four sacks and an interception in 2014.