Ex-Panthers exec Adrian Wilson arrested on domestic violence charges, court documents show
Former Carolina Panthers vice president of player personnel Adrian Wilson was arrested on three domestic violence-related charges in Arizona last month, according to a case filed in Scottsdale City Court.
The news comes two days after the Panthers confirmed Wilson was no longer with the team’s front office.
According to the court document, which was filed June 1, Wilson is facing charges of “assault intentionally causing physical injury (DV),” “damage property — deface $250-$2,000 (DV)“ and “disorderly conduct — disruptive behavior or fighting (DV).”
All three charges are misdemeanors.
The Athletic and ESPN were the first to report the news.
According to Scottsdale Police Department records obtained by The Charlotte Observer on Wednesday, Wilson’s daughter, Aubrey, called police just past 5 a.m. June 1. The call was in response to Wilson seeing documents on the counter of his guest house that Alicia, Aubrey’s mother, asked to be drawn up. Aubrey stated per police reports that her father then went to Alicia’s bedroom and started yelling and throwing objects that resulted in broken glass and a broken television screen. The police report also states that Alicia alleged that Wilson put his hands on Alicia. Wilson denied putting his hands on Alicia, in an interview with police.
Wilson later told police, according to the report, that at some point in Alicia’s bedroom he went into a safe, secured a gun and left the house. Wilson stated he had been working in the Carolinas for 14 months and was depressed from being away from his family. He ended up having a mental break, he stated to police, and that he’d planned on driving to the desert to shoot himself because “I felt like nobody cared.” Police records then say that after talking with various members of his family, who assured Adrian that he was loved, he no longer felt that way. He was found and formally arrested just past 6:30 a.m. and was transferred to Scottsdale City Jail for booking procedures, where he was held in custody.
Wilson’s next court date is a case management conference on July 16, according to The Athletic.
The 44-year-old Wilson is a High Point native and former N.C. State football player. He arrived in Carolina in February 2023 after eight seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, where he was a key fixture with the team’s scouting department. He was co-interim general manager with the Cardinals at the end of 2022. After that 2022 season, he was also reportedly in the mix for a few general manager jobs, including with the New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars, but wasn’t hired for either.
The former Carolina executive was also a five-time Pro Bowl safety in 12 seasons with the Cardinals and one of six players in NFL history with at least 25 career sacks and 25 career interceptions.
A Panthers spokesperson, when contacted about Wilson’s departure from the team Sunday, told The Charlotte Observer via statement: “Adrian Wilson will not continue in his position as vice president of player personnel for the Carolina Panthers. Consistent with our organizational policy on employee matters, we will have no further comment.”
A spokesperson declined to add to this statement Tuesday.
This story was originally published July 9, 2024 at 4:41 PM.
