Ex-girlfriend of 49ers' Reuben Foster says she lied about assault

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster's ex-girlfriend initially lied to police and the NFL team about a violent incident at his home in Los Gatos, Calif., her attorney said Wednesday in a statement.

Stephanie Rickard, the attorney for 28-year-old Elissa Ennis, said the injuries, including a ruptured eardrum, that sent her client to the hospital were suffered in a fight with another woman. She also claimed there is a video of that confrontation to back her up.

"(Foster) did not strike her, injure her or threaten her," Rickard said in a statement. The statement claims that Ennis' injuries "were the result of a physical fight with another woman, and that Foster tried to end his relationship with Ennis after he learned of the fight.

"She was extremely upset and told him if he broke up with her she would 'trash his career,'" Rickard said.

Officials said Foster dragged the woman by her hair, physically threw her out of the house, and punched her in the head eight to 10 times. Prosecutors officially charged Foster on April 12 with felony domestic violence, another felony for forcefully attempting to prevent the victim from reporting the crime, and a third felony for possessing an assault weapon.

The Sacramento Bee cited the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office as saying that the woman flagged down a passing car after the incident and suspected she would not cooperate with the investigation. They continued the case without her help.

Reported evidence includes the 911 call on the day of the incident, the medical report from the hospital and any photographs that police took. The district attorney's office also could call upon the motorist who helped the girlfriend as a witness.

Rickard told NFL.com Wednesday night that she plans to submit the statement to the Santa Clara DA on Thursday and will also make available a video of the incident that supports Ennis' claims.

Foster's checkered history also includes an arrest for misdemeanor marijuana possession on Jan. 12 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

The 49ers selected Foster with the 31st overall pick in the 2017 draft out of Alabama. He finished his rookie season second on the team with 72 tackles in 10 games.

Although Foster played his first season without an off-field incident, red flags were raised when he was sent home early from the 2017 Scouting Combine after he got into an argument with a hospital worker. Also, his urine sample showed up as diluted, which, according to the NFL's policy on substances of abuse, was treated as a positive test.