Kerley, who was arrested in Miami earlier this January, has been put into custody yet again and will miss participating at the ongoing second leg of the 2025 Grand Slam Track.
Olympic sprint star Fred Kerley has been arrested once again, this time in Florida, and as a result, he missed this weekend’s Grand Slam Track Miami event, where he was scheduled to compete in the 100m on Saturday and 200m on Sunday.
The Grand Slam Track organizers confirmed his absence with a brief statement:
“Fred Kerley was arrested last night. The matter is under active investigation, and all inquiries should be directed to the Broward County Sheriff's Office… We have no further comment at this time.”
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According to an arrest report and multiple news outlets, the 29-year-old was charged with battery after allegedly punching fellow Olympian Alaysha Johnson at the Le Méridien Dania Beach hotel on Thursday night.
Johnson told deputies she ran into Kerley, her ex-boyfriend, while visiting her conditioning coach. The encounter escalated quickly.
She claimed Kerley became aggressive, reportedly said, “I’m going to f--- everyone up in here,” before striking her once in the face, causing her nose to bleed. A deputy noted her injuries were consistent with her story.
Kerley was arrested and booked Thursday night. As of the last update, bond was still pending.
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Kerley’s Legal Team Responds
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His attorney, Richard Cooper, disputed the allegations, claiming Kerley was the real victim.
“Fred has had a target on his back for a while now. Jealousy and tensions flared at a meet yesterday, and my client was attacked… We look forward to a dismissal so [Kerley] can keep up his hard work, undistracted.”
This is not Kerley’s first run-in with the law. Back in January, he was arrested for allegedly punching a Miami Beach police officer, an incident that also led to a domestic battery by strangulation charge stemming from a separate fight with his wife in May 2023.
In that incident, authorities claimed Kerley choked his wife after she punched him. His attorney at the time argued that there was never sufficient evidence to justify an arrest.
Kerley’s absence in Miami is notable, especially after he competed in the Kingston leg of the Grand Slam Track series last month. His name has since been removed from the meet’s official entries.
Kerley and Johnson were both part of Team USA for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where he took bronze in the 100m. The two had reportedly dated for six months and broke up in October.
Authorities stated that Kerley was charged with a misdemeanor battery instead of a civil citation due to concerns he and Johnson might have encountered each other again at the competition venue.