Olympian charged in Florida with battery on female fellow athlete
Share and Follow


FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — An Olympic track medalist is charged in Florida with punching a woman, a hurdler who also competed in the Olympics.

A Broward County Sheriff’s Office arrest report says that Fred Kerley, 29, allegedly hit Alaysha Johnson with a closed fist at a hotel near Fort Lauderdale on Thursday. Kerley is charged with misdemeanor battery in the incident that left Johnson with a bloody nose.

Kerley won a silver medal in the 100-meter race at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo and a bronze medal in the same event at the Paris Olympic Games in 2024, where Johnson also competed. The arrest report says they previously had a relationship and got into a heated argument at the Florida hotel where they were staying before a track meet in the area.

Kerley’s attorney, Richard Cooper, said in an email Saturday that he has “a target on his back” that leads to unfounded allegations by “fierce and sometimes jealous competitors.”

“We ask the public not to rush to judgment as the exculpatory facts eventually come to light,” Cooper said. “Fred looks forward to getting back to competing and away from distractions as his legal team works to resolve these accusations.”

It’s not Kerley’s first brush with the law. This comes just a few months after he was arrested for allegedly punching a Miami Beach police officer on Jan 2., an incident in which police used a Taser on him. He was also charged in May with domestic battery against his wife, according to court records.

His lawyers say he is innocent of those charges as well.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

Blue Origin Successfully Launches Massive Rocket with Twin NASA Spacecraft on Historic Mars Mission

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Thursday, Blue Origin successfully launched its massive…

HBO’s ‘Seduction’ Offers a Bold, Female-Centric Take on ‘Dangerous Liaisons

“Welcome to the tantalizing chaos of high society,” invites the trailer for…

Starbucks Workers Stage Major 65-Store Strike on Red Cup Day: What It Means for Customers and the Company

Over a thousand unionized Starbucks employees are set to strike at 65…

China’s Stranded Astronauts Set for Safe Return: Spacecraft Swaps Crews in Historic Mission

FILE – Journalists film Chinese astronauts for the upcoming Shenzhou 20 mission,…

US Proposal for Gaza Stabilization Force at UN Faces Opposition from Russia, China, and Arab Nations

TANZANIA – The United States is pushing for a United Nations mandate…

Cash App’s MoneyBot Analyzes Spending Habits with Unprecedented Precision

NEW YORK – Envision a world where your bank can seamlessly transfer…

41 Dogs Rescued from Overwhelmed Owner in Orange City

In an unsettling discovery in Orange City, Florida, animal control officers responded…

France Commemorates 10th Anniversary of Paris Attacks: A Day of Remembrance and Reflection

PARIS – A decade ago, Paris was gripped by a wave of…