Berea prosecutor to decide on assault case against Moeller

Akron Beacon Journal

A woman who identified herself as the fiancee of suspended Browns offensive line coach Andy Moeller said during a disturbing 911 call he “tried to strangle me and beat me up” Saturday night at his home in Berea, Ohio.

“I hate to do this to him, but you know what? I’m glad I made it out of there in time,” the woman, who identified herself as “Sandy,” said during the call.

The Berea Police Department released a recording of the call Tuesday afternoon.

The woman made the call at 9:06 p.m. Saturday, signed an assault complaint against Moeller at about midnight, then told authorities at approximately 7:55 a.m. Sunday she wanted to drop the charge, according to a report released by Berea police Tuesday.

Moeller hasn’t been arrested or charged. His name was redacted from the report, but the woman named him in the 911 call.

Now the case is in the hands of Berea prosecutor Jim Walters.

In a statement released Tuesday, Walters said his review of the police report “is likely to continue for a number of days,” after which he will decide whether to file charges against Moeller.

“If charges are issued, an announcement will be made at an appropriate time,” Walters said. “Since this is an ongoing investigation, and since no charges have been made at this time, no further information from the police report and no further investigative material will be released.”

Police were dispatched at 9:08 p.m. Saturday because the woman reported an assault had occurred in Moeller’s home, which is near the road. The alleged victim had left the home and spoke to police on the road. Other officers spoke to Moeller at his home.

“There were conflicting stories of what had occurred,” the report reads.

There were no initial injuries observed, according to the report.

During the 911 call, the woman said she lives in Maryland but visits Moeller frequently.

“He’s my fiance — not anymore, though,” she said.

Asked by the dispatcher what they were arguing about, the woman said, “I’m trying to think. I don’t even know what it was. I was on the phone talking to my son and he told me to be quiet, like, ’Just shut up.’?”

She said “maybe some alcohol ... probably some beer” was involved “but no drugs.”

The dispatcher asked the woman whether Moeller had been violent before.

“Yeah, well, I hate to say that. But, yeah, I’m sure,” she said.

The woman also said, “Tell him to just stop and not to hurt me. I kept saying stop. At least I got out of the house.”

The alleged victim was taken to a hotel at her request.