After her arrest, player and part of last year’s championship-winning has been barred from the team.
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (AP) — Riquna Williams, a seasoned WNBA player and member of the Aces’ championship team last year, has been suspended from the team following her arrest on felony domestic abuse charges involving a person officials claim is her spouse.
Williams, 33, was released from jail without bail on Wednesday, less than a day after her arrest, but she was ordered not to contact her claimed victim and to comply with alcohol monitoring until her next court appearance on Aug. 2.
The Aces released a statement noting Williams’ arrest and said that she is “precluded from participating in team activities.” The Aces are set to play in Dallas on Sunday and were on the road on Wednesday.
“We condemn domestic violence of any kind,” the squad stated. “Our thoughts are with the parties involved in this situation.”
According to court documents, Williams is facing five felony charges, including numerous counts of domestic abuse by strangulation, coercion with the threat or use of physical force, and assault with a weapon. She is also charged with four misdemeanor counts of domestic assault.
Williams, a shooting guard and on-court role player known as “Bay Bay,” averaged 6.7 points per game last season but has yet to play this season due to a back ailment.
During her initial appearance in Las Vegas Justice Court, she stood silently in shackles behind security glass.
Her public lawyer, Ryan Bashor, told the judge that Williams has been in Nevada for five years and that “there should be no issue with a no-contact order” because the person accused of assaulting her “is in the process or has already relocated” out of the house.
Prosecutor Glen O’Brien mentioned “violence and damage to the victim” but did not identify the individual. It was unclear whether the individual had been wounded or required medical attention.
According to Justice of the Peace Rebecca Saxe, the allegations derive from conduct that “occurred over an extended period of time.”
O’Brien remained in court and did not respond to an email requesting more information on Williams’ case and the firearm that police claimed was involved.
Police were called to a residence in the posh Southern Highlands area south of the Las Vegas Strip around noon Tuesday. An arrest report was not immediately made public.
Williams faced league sanctions in 2019 after being arrested on domestic-battery allegations, which resulted in a 10-game ban without pay, or roughly one-third of the season. She was a Sparks player at the time.
The extent and intensity of the charges, as well as the inclusion of a gun, were among the reasons considered by the league.
Williams, according to Bashor and Saxe, had no prior convictions.
Williams attended the University of Miami before being chosen by the Tulsa Shock in 2012. She has also played professionally in other countries.
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