Ex-pastor depicted in Texas football movie accused of assaulting pregnant girlfriend

A former Texas high school football team chaplain depicted in the recently released movie “Under the Stadium Lights” has been arrested, according to media reports.

Chad Mitchell, a co-author of the book “Brother’s Keeper” that inspired the film released this month, is accused of beating up his pregnant girlfriend after she “posted screenshots of their text messages,” the Abilene Reporter News reported.

A resident of Abilene, he is charged with assault of a pregnant person, a third-degree felony, according to court documents. His full name is Jeffery Chad Mitchell.

Mitchell’s girlfriend, who was over seven-months pregnant, said he spit on her, slammed a door on her elbow, dragged her by the hair and held her on a chair as he hit her, according to court documents obtained by KTXS.

“You’re done. I’m going to bury,” the woman recalled Mitchell saying, according to the court documents cited by KTXS.

The woman called 911 and went to the hospital out of concern for her unborn baby’s health and treatment of her injuries, the news outlet reported.

The book “Brother’s Keeper” chronicled the Abilene High School football championship season in 2009 when Mitchell was a team chaplain, the Abilene Reporter News reported. The Eagles upset Katy High School, 28-17, to win the Class 5A Division II state title.

Mitchell is played by Milo Gibson, a son of Mel Gibson, in “Under the Stadium Lights,” which was met was critical reviews in The New York Times, Variety and other publications.

Mitchell founded a group called “Stop the Violence” in 2008 and recently has been a leader in the nonprofit “Preying on Predators,” KTAB reported. He was a pastor at The Mission in Abilene, the news outlet reported.

KTAB said he was also a former employee of the TV station.

This story was originally published June 23, 2021 at 4:57 PM with the headline "Ex-pastor depicted in Texas football movie accused of assaulting pregnant girlfriend."