US sprinter Fred Kerley arrested for allegedly assaulting former girlfriend Alaysha Johnson
Fred Kerley, a two-time Olympic 100m medalist, has been arrested after allegedly punching his former girlfriend, hurdler Alaysha Johnson, in the face. As a result, Kerley will not compete in the Grand Slam Track event in Miami this weekend.
The alleged incident took place on Thursday at a hotel where Johnson, who is listed as a competitor in the Miami event, was meeting with her conditioning coach. She reported to the police that she encountered Kerley there.
According to the arrest report, Johnson told officers that Kerley struck her in the face with a closed fist, causing her nose to bleed. She said that he had become aggressive and continued to approach her. The report noted that Johnson’s injuries were consistent with her account. Kerley, 29, was charged with one count of “battery-touch or strike.”
Reuters has reached out to Kerley’s representative for comment. Kerley, who earned a bronze medal in the 100m at the 2024 Paris Olympics and a silver in the same event at the 2020 Tokyo Games, was scheduled to compete in the 100m on Saturday and the 200m on Sunday in Miami.
“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,” Grand Slam Track said in a statement. “Fred will not compete this weekend. We have no further comment at this time.”
Kerley had competed in Grand Slam Track’s inaugural event last month in Kingston, Jamaica. Grand Slam Track, created by four-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson, will hold four meets in 2025 and aims to challenge the Diamond League, the established global standard for track and field events, which hosts 15 meetings annually worldwide.
