Why was Fred Kerley arrested the second time? All about the incident that made him miss the Grand Slam Track: Miami

Olympic medalist Fred Kerley will miss the Grand Slam Track event in Miami. The soon-to-be 30-year-old sprinter was arrested ahead of the event scheduled between May 2 and 4.

But why was Kerley arrested? According to the media reports, he was charged with battery assault by his ex-girlfriend and fellow Olympian, Alaysha Johnson, who was allegedly struck in the nose by Kerley and left bleeding. According to the arrest report, Johnson told officers that she was struck once by Kerley with a closed fist, which caused her nose to bleed, after which he 'aggressively continued to approach her'.

This is not the first time that Kerley had been arrested. Miami Police briefly detained him in January 2025 following an altercation with the police officials. His detainment was extended when his estranged wife Angelica pressed assault charges against him.

Fred Kerley had a disappointing run at the Grand Slam Track meet in Kingston, Jamaica. The Olympic medalist had finished outside the top three, clocking 10.3 seconds in the 100m finals to finish seventh.

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Fred Kerley revealed his childhood struggles and adoption

Fred Kerley talks about his childhood struggle and his adoption [Image Source: Getty]

Despite his controversies, Fred Kerley is one of the promising athletes in the 100m discipline. With two consecutive Olympic medals, the sprinter once recounted his troublesome childhood, which eventually shaped his journey.

Recalling his troubled past in a conversation with The Pivot Podcast in April 2025, Kerley mentioned (beginning 4:31):

"So my pops went to prison for murder. My mom's still in the streets, so there's dopes and all that stuff. So, definitely, and my aunt and uncle adopted 26 of us, like 23, and a lot of other family members in the house and stuff. So, yes, that's why I'm, like, competitive. Like, you got to win-win situation.."

In another interview with Olympics.com, Kerley revealed that he succeeded in track and field because he never wanted to look back at those darker days.

"At the end of the day, we all had fun, we enjoyed ourselves and are doing great things right now. What motivates me is coming from what I come from and not being in the same predicament. Keep on accomplishing great things. You don’t want to be in the same position as you were when you were younger,” he said.

Fred Kerley competed in the 100m finals at the Paris Olympics and bagged the bronze medal.