Former Washington Football Team running back Derrius Guice had four misdemeanor charges, including three counts of assault and battery, against him dropped Wednesday morning after a settlement was reached with his ex-girlfriend.
Guice had been arrested on domestic violence charges in Loudoun County, Virginia, in August, stemming from three separate incidents earlier in 2020 at his home in Ashburn, Virginia. Guice had allegedly pushed the woman to the ground three different times. If convicted, Guice could have served jail time.
Washington released him two hours after his arrest.
Details of the settlement were not disclosed. According to Virginia law, some charges can be dropped if the victim states in writing that they are satisfied with the injury compensation. A release by the commonwealth’s attorney’s office said that this “process permits the parties to control the direction and outcome of such matters.”
Both Guice and the woman appeared in court and requested that the court accept the agreement. The judge ruled in favor of their request.
The attorneys for Guice and the woman released a joint statement, asking that neither side be contacted by the media and to respect their privacy.
“They both have worked very hard toward a resolution of their relationship,” the attorneys said in the statement. “They both wish that the other, now and in the future, does well and that both can move on from this difficult process.”
Guice also had been charged with destruction of property. Another charge of strangulation, a felony count, was dropped in January by Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj.
The running back has not played in the NFL since being cut by Washington. There were concerns about his character before the 2018 NFL draft, with some teams — including Carolina, then coached by current Washington coach Ron Rivera — taking him off their board.
In March, Abby Owens told a Louisiana Senate select committee that Guice raped her when both attended LSU. According to multiple reports, two other women have alleged the same and a third accused Guice of sharing a partially nude photo of her without consent. Guice, through his attorney, has denied the allegations, according to the reports.