Man Tapes Wife to Basement Chair for Uninterrupted Game

A 64-year-old Richmond man now faces serious felony charges after police say he restrained his wife with tape in their basement so he could watch football upstairs without interruption.

Terry Ward was arrested in the early hours of October 12 following a domestic disturbance call at the couple’s home in the 2200 block of Maplewood Avenue near Byrd Park on the night of Sunday, October 11. Richmond police arrived around 11:30 p.m. and found Ward upstairs while his wife was in the basement.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Richmond court, the woman told officers her husband had tied her to a chair with tape. “When I arrived on scene, [the wife] stated that her husband had tied her to a chair with tape in the basement,” the responding officer wrote. Ward himself admitted the act. The complaint states: “Terry stated that he did indeed tied his wife to a chair and place[d] her down in the basement.”

Police documented marks and adhesive residue on both of the woman’s arms. She estimated she had been restrained for 30 to 45 minutes.

Sources familiar with the case told Virginia Statewide Incidents that Ward left his wife downstairs specifically so he could watch football in peace upstairs. Richmond Police have noted that the football motive has not been officially attributed to them, and detectives have not released further details on the circumstances.

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Ward has been charged with felony abduction and misdemeanor assault on a family member. Under Virginia law, the abduction charge is a Class 5 felony that can carry a prison sentence of one to 10 years and a fine of up to $2,500. He is scheduled to appear in Richmond Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court on November 10.

The case has drawn widespread attention online, with many reacting to the extreme lengths one man allegedly went to protect his viewing experience. Ward’s attorney has not publicly commented. The investigation remains ongoing.