Aces guard Riquna Williams arrested on 9 charges in domestic violence investigation

Las Vegas Aces guard Riquna Williams was arrested for alleged domestic violence against her spouse and ordered to be released from custody Wednesday, according to a report from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The 33-year-old joined the Aces in 2021 and has not played this season due to a lower back injury. She has been precluded from team activities, according to a statement from the team:

She was arrested Tuesday with nine charges filed against her, including three felony counts of strangulation, one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon and one felony count of coercion, according to the Clark County Detention Center's public records. She was charged with four misdemeanor counts of domestic battery. Her next court date is set for Aug. 2.

After appearing at a hearing Wednesday, she was reportedly placed on alcohol monitoring and mandated mental health counseling as part of the order for her release.

Williams was reportedly not ordered to pay a monetary bail due to her "lack of criminal history and ties to the community."

In 2019, she was suspended 10 games while playing for the Los Angeles Sparks for a separate case of alleged domestic violence. She pleaded not guilty to two felony assault and weapons charges related to that case. A year later, both charges were dropped after she reportedly completed a diversion program.

Her spouse, the alleged victim in the most recent case, has already moved away from Las Vegas, Williams' public defender said.

According to the police report, as cited by ESPN, Williams accused her spouse of cheating. This led her to allegedly take several of her spouses' belongings to a hotel, including a cellphone. Williams logged into the cell phone and allegedly found evidence of infidelity, according to the report. She allegedly returned to the shared home, where she is accused of punching, kicking, and attempting to strangle her spouse.

The alleged victim waited hours after Williams left the home until she called the police on account of fear, according to the report. Police observed injuries to her throat, eyebrow area, thumb and were told the alleged assault lasted around an hour.

The WNBPA issued a statement Wednesday acknowledging Williams' arrest:

The 10-year WNBA veteran was crucial in the Aces' victory over the Connecticut Sun to clinch the franchise's first WNBA championship last season, hitting two closing buckets off the bench. Her teammates called her "the microwave" that season for her ability to heat up as soon as she was put in the game.

In addition to Williams' absence this year, the Aces are currently without Candace Parker. The team's esteemed free-agent addition announced via Instagram on Monday that she underwent surgery to repair a fracture in her foot. She appeared to sustain an ankle injury right before the All-Star break, but she had apparently been trying to play through the foot injury all season.

Without the two-time league MVP and Williams, the team signed rookie guard Ashley Joens to an emergency hardship contract last week. She was a 2023 second-round draft pick out of Iowa State, averaging 19.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and shooting 42.5% from the field through her collegiate career.