Huge update emerges on Olympic sprinter Fred Kerley after arrest for allegedly punching ex-girlfriend in face
Olympic medalist sprinter Fred Kerley has reportedly pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge after being a ccused of punching ex-girlfriend Alaysha Johnson earlier this month.
The 30-year-old, who is one of only three men to have run sub-10 seconds in the 100m sprint, was arrested back on May 2 over the alleged incident at a hotel in Dania Beach, Florida.
According to the arrest report, Johnson told an officer she was struck once in the face by Kerley with a closed fist, causing her nose to bleed, after he had become aggressive and continued to approach her.
The report also said her injuries were 'consistent with her statements' and that the athlete was charged with one count of 'battery-touch or strike.'
Yet according to TMZ Sports, Kerley's lawyer, Richard Cooper, notified the court in Broward County last week that he intends to fight the charge of misdemeanor battery in front of a jury of his peers.
At a court appearance on Friday May 3 he was granted a $1,000 bond and told not to get in contact with Johnson or return to the place of arrest.
In a statement just after his arrest the Olympian, who won a bronze medal in Paris last year, said: 'While there was a physical altercation, my arrest was not due to any criminal act. Rather, it resulted from my decision to remain silent until my legal counsel was present.
'I chose not to speak to law enforcement without my attorney present, and for that reason alone, I was booked.'
Cooper also said in a statement that his client was 'attacked' during his interaction with Johnson.
'We ask Fred's sponsors, fans, and the public for patience and respect as we let the State Attorney conduct his investigation,' the attorney said. 'We are confident that this case will be summarily dismissed shortly.'
Kerley dated Johnson, who is also a 100m runner, for about six months before they broke up last October, according to the arrest report.
It comes after the track star was also tased and arrested by police during a night out in Miami Beach in January with his new lover.
Days later his estranged wife, Angelica, relived the horrifying moment she thought she would 'die at his hands' in an emotional interview with DailyMail.com.
Angelica, the mother of their three young children, said that she had to fight for air as Kerley choked her during an alleged early morning attack back in May 2024 in the bedroom of their home just south of Miami.
Former college heptathlete Angelica claimed Fred only stopped and fled after their 9-year-old daughter Mia bravely tackled her super fit six-feet three-inches father from behind, and began desperately clawing at his eyes.
Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com about what she said was the inside story of her turbulent 10-year relationship with the track icon – Angelica claimed he's a serial cheater who leads a 'double life'.
Kerley's attorney labeled her account 'fabrications,' pointing out they were not sufficient for cops to arrest him at the time.
'The only ones being hurt by these imaginative claims are their three young children who will remember how their mother sacrificed their privacy and their father's reputation for fleeting fame,' said Cooper.
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