Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Amateur MMA Fighter Arrested in Bar Fight


May 15, 2018

Levy County Deputies and EMS responded to Bubba’s Place on US 19 in Fanning Springs on May 5, 2018 to a reported bar fight. Arriving deputies found the victim unconscious on the sidewalk outside the bar with very few witnesses in the area. The suspect fled prior to our deputies arrival.

The unconscious victim suffered a laceration to the top of his head and was bleeding from the mouth. He was transported by helicopter to a nearby hospital where he remains in critical condition. 

The on-scene investigation revealed the victim approached the suspect standing outside the bar and was able to positively identify him as Hank Williams (9-8-90) from Fanning Springs. A witness described a brief verbal altercation between the two men. Williams, unprovoked, struck the victim in the face with two closed fist blows. The initial strike immediately rendered the victim unconscious and as he was falling the second strike was thrown. The victim had his hands in his pockets the entire time. 

The LCSO Criminal Investigations Division discovered Williams has a history as an MMA fighter and is registered as an amateur. Investigators did request a warrant for his arrest after gathering additional evidence. A warrant was issued for one count of felony battery with a bond of $100,000.00.

Earlier this morning Investigators located Williams on CR 341 in Chiefland near the Chiefland Elementary School. Williams was arrested and taken into custody without difficulty. Based on Williams’s history as a fighter, multiple units were involved in this arrest. 

The LCSO wants to ensure our public that they were safe, as we were using the utmost caution. We WILL continue to make our community safer for everyone. We regret this person had to be arrested in the same general area where our children go to school, but again the safety of our children and citizens are of our utmost concern.  In addition, for the few students who saw the arrest, they may now want to be law enforcement officers.