CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Chris Henry was no stranger to trouble.

Indeed, his multiple arrests during a five-year NFL career were among the factors prompting the league to toughen its personal conduct policy.

But to hear his teammates tell it — even the team's owner — the Cincinnati Bengals receiver was determined to leave behind his troubled past and move ahead toward a bright future.

Tragically, his efforts were cut short when he died from injuries in what police said was a domestic dispute with his fiancee.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said the 26-year-old Henry died early yesterday, less than 18 hours after he fell off the back of a pickup truck on a residential street eight miles northwest of downtown Charlotte.

The cause of death was not immediately released.

Henry was away from the Bengals after suffering a season-ending broken forearm in a game last month.

"We knew him in a different way than his public persona," Bengals owner Mike Brown said. "He had worked through the troubles in his life and had finally seemingly reached the point where everything was going to blossom. And he was going to have the future we all wanted for him. It's painful to us. We feel it in our hearts, and we will miss him."

Bengals receiver Andre Caldwell said: "People thought he was a bad guy, but he had a big heart."

Police provided few details about the investigation, other than that homicide detectives were assigned to the case.

Henry and his 25-year-old fiancee Loleini Tonga, who grew up in Charlotte, were raising three children.

Police said the domestic dispute began Wednesday at a home about a half-mile away from where Henry was found. He had jumped into the bed of the pickup as his fiancee was driving away from the residence, and at some point when she was driving "came out of the back of the vehicle," authorities said.

SHORT SNAPS

Fines: New York Giants center Shaun O'Hara has been fined $15,000 by the NFL for a scuffle with Eagles defensive end Trent Cole at the end of Sunday's game against Philadelphia.

Cowboys: Dallas linebacker DeMarcus Ware was back at practice yesterday, though his status is unknown for tomorrow's game at New Orleans, less than a week after he strained his neck in a scary headfirst collision.

Rams: St. Louis canceled practice yesterday due to an undisclosed number of swine flu cases on the team. Coach Steve Spagnuolo would not say how many players had the illness but said five or six had flulike symptoms.