Fred Kerley charged with battery on ex, a fellow Olympian, in Broward: What to know

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 in the 1800 block of Griffin Road in Dania Beach 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.

What happened between Fred Kerley and Alaysha Johnson?

Kerley and the victim – who dated for six months and broke up in October – were in town to compete in Grand Slam Track, an outdoor track and field event held this weekend in Miami.

The victim told police she ran into Kerley, who she said began arguing with her and increasingly became more aggressive while approaching her, the report said.

The victim alleged Kerley said something to the effect of, "I'm going to (expletive) everyone up in here up."

Kerley allegedly struck the victim once in the face with a closed fist, causing her nose to bleed, police said.

Fred Kerley bonds out of jail after being charged with battery

A judge set Kerley's bond at $1,000. HE bonded out of Broward County jail Friday night and didn't say much to reporters when he walked out.

“God bless y'all,” Kerley said.

While he didn't say much, two women who picked him up did.

“Look at the internet, the internet will tell the real story, because the people who were there didn't want to say something, but the internet is telling what's going on,” one woman said.

Officials with Grand Slam Track said Kerley will not be competing in the event this weekend.

"This is obviously unfortunate to see, but I along with millions around the world believe in Mr. Kerley and his outstanding character and resilience," his attorney, Richard Cooper, said in a statement. "We ask his fans and the public to please be patient as we let law enforcement sort out what we are confident will result in no further action by the Broward County State Attorney's Office."

Fred Kerley's previous arrests

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.

The incident was caught on police body camera.

Police also arrested Kerley's girlfriend that night in Miami Beach and charged her with resisting arrest. On Friday, she was one of the two women who picked up Kerley from jail.

“Her boyfriend punched her twice,” she said. “TMZ told a wrong story today. Check the internet.”

Kerley was also charged in May 2024 with domestic battery against his wife after he allegedly strangled her and then robbed her cellphone, according to court records. He pleaded not guilty.

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

Kerley has 'target on his back,' attorney says

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.”