By Mathew Katz and Wil Cruz
DNAinfo Staff
CHELSEA — Police are investigating claims that NFL wide receiver Brandon Marshall punched a 24-year-old woman in the face in front of a Chelsea nightclub over the weekend, a source said.
Marshall — whose trouble-prone history includes an assault on a police officer and being stabbed in his stomach by his wife — allegedly slugged clubgoer Christen Myles of Manhattan in front of the Marquee Nightclub at 289 10th Ave. just before 4 a.m. Sunday, according to a police source.
Myles had been celebrating her birthday with friends when her group got into a beef with Marshall, who was accompanied by at least one friend, the source said.
The cause of the fight was not immediately clear, but it escalated and Marshall — who is listed as 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds and is nicknamed the "Beast" — clocked the woman in the face, the victim claimed.
The attack left her with a swollen eye, the source said. She refused medical attention at the scene, but went to police to report the incident on Tuesday, police sources said.
Marshall, who was traded to the Bears Tuesday, left the scene, according to the source.
He has not been arrested, police said.
The Marquee nightclub has a history of problems. Convicted killer Michael Mele met his victim Laura Garza there in 2008 before murdering her and dumping her body in the woods. He was sentenced to 23 years in prison earlier this year.
The club did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Marshall's attorney called the Sunday night incident a "melee." The lawyer said Marshall wan't involved, according to Schefter.
The Bears and Marshall's former club the Miami Dolphins knew about the alleged attack, Bears general manager Phil Emery said in a statement.
"Both the Bears and Dolphins were aware of what occurred over the weekend," the statement said. "We decided to move forward with the trade. We have high expectations for Brandon as a Bear."
