Scandal-plagued national champion wrestler AJ Ferrari has been arrested again, this time facing charges of assaulting a pregnant woman. The arrest occurred just days after Ferrari was involved in a high-speed chase with police, reaching speeds of over 120 mph.
A warrant for Ferrari's arrest was issued last Thursday on allegations of strangling a pregnant woman, third-degree domestic violence assault of a pregnant woman causing bodily injuries, and first-degree false imprisonment. According to KETV, Lincoln police responded to an apartment on May 8 where Ferrari and the pregnant woman allegedly had a dispute. An affidavit viewed by the outlet states that the woman claimed Ferrari would not allow her to leave the apartment, dragged her off the bed by her feet, and strangled her.
The woman told police she feared for the safety of her unborn child and attempted to kick Ferrari. She reported that she managed to free herself and contacted her mother, who then called law enforcement. The woman was taken to a hospital and treated for abrasions on her neck and bruises consistent with strangulation.
Ferrari was detained by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office's Special Operations Group on Tuesday in connection with the outstanding warrant. Investigators observed Ferrari allegedly crawling out of a garage and entering the backseat of a vehicle at a residence where he was reportedly staying. Following the truck, investigators alerted the Sheriff's Office's Uniformed Services Bureau, which conducted a traffic stop and took Ferrari into custody without incident.
This latest arrest follows a June 27 incident where Ferrari was charged with 'flight to avoid arrest,' willful reckless driving, and obstructing the police. He was accused of driving a Corvette at over 120 mph on Highway 83 in an attempt to elude officers. After crashing his vehicle into a ditch, Ferrari allegedly fled on foot before being apprehended.
Ferrari, 24, has a history of legal issues and team changes throughout his collegiate wrestling career. He began at Oklahoma State, where he won a national championship as a freshman, but later departed after an arrest in a sexual assault case that was later dropped. He then transferred to the University of Iowa, where he was noted for punching a teammate and an unsportsmanlike gesture towards the crowd. He later competed at Cal State-Bakersfield before transferring to Nebraska for the most recent season. He still has a year of college eligibility remaining but faces an uncertain future given his legal troubles.