DANIA BEACH, Fla. – Olympic sprinter Fred Kerley has been arrested yet again in South Florida – this time in Broward County, Local 10 News learned Friday.
Recommended Videos
Online jail records show Kerley, 29, of southwest Miami-Dade, was arrested Thursday by the Broward Sheriff’s Office in Dania Beach.
He faces a battery charge. According to an arrest report obtained by Local 10 News, deputies responded to the Le Méridien Dania Beach at Fort Lauderdale Airport hotel, located at 1825 Griffin Road, just after 7:45 p.m. Thursday after receiving reports of a battery.
Kerley, who will celebrate his 30th birthday next Wednesday, was scheduled to compete in the inaugural Grand Slam Track in Miramar, which is being held from Friday through Sunday.
Kerley’s ex-girlfriend, Olympic hurdler Alaysha Johnson, who was competing in the same event told deputies that when she ran into Kerley, he began to argue with her and he eventually became “aggressive,” saying “something to the effect of ‘I’m going to f--- everyone in here up,’” a BSO arrest report states.
Deputies said Kerley struck Johnson, 28, in the face, causing her nose to bleed. According to the report, she said the two dated for six months and broke up in October.
“Due to Johnson and Kerley both performing in the same track and field event, deputies feared that a chance of revictimization might occur, therefore a civil citation was not given to Kerley,” the BSO report states.
His attorney, Richard L. Cooper, released the following statement to Local 10 News Friday: “These allegations lack merit and the witnesses lack credibility. My client was attacked unprovoked and in the scuffle someone else was unintentionally harmed. It should be noted that the attacker also got arrested that day. We anticipate that Fred’s charges will be dismissed.”
He was arrested earlier this year after Miami Beach police accused him of assaulting an officer on the night of Jan. 2.
Kerley, a sprinter who won silver for the United States at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and bronze at the 2024 Games in Paris, was arrested on a felony charge of battery on a law enforcement officer and misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
In that case, police said Kerley approached a police scene in the 100 block of Ninth Street on South Beach with an “aggressive demeanor (and) was concerned about his vehicle that was parked in the area of the scene.”
The arrest report states that officers told Kerley to “go around” the area but he continued to be aggressive, arguing with officers and eventually trying to “force” his way through two officers and grabbing the hand of an officer who put it up to “create space” between him and the athlete.
Authorities said Kerley pushed an officer, leading to a struggle with multiple cops on the ground. At one point, police said an officer “delivered multiple hammer fists” to Kerley’s head and elbowed him in the back as he resisted arrest.
The report states that after “multiple diversionary strikes to his rib cage area,” officers used a stun gun on him and were able to get him in handcuffs. Authorities said despite being in handcuffs, Kerley was able to remove one of the stun gun probes.
Bodycam footage was later released showing the arrest.
Kerley appeared in bond court Friday in reference to his latest arrest and was granted a $1,000 bond. A judge ordered that he have no contact with the alleged victim.