According to My Pan Handle an amateur MMA fighter has been charged with manslaughter in Panama City Beach, Fl after a reported bar fight.
Jump to…
Ross Allen Johnson, 23, of Catersville, Ill, was arrested by the Panama City Beach Police Department after an incident in the parking lot of a bar on Front Beach Road.
Man died after a suck punch to the back of the head
Authorities state that Johnson was running towards a fight involving his friend, which was happening in a bar parking lot, when hit Dayvon Larry, 31, behind the ear.
Larry, an airman from nearby Tyndall Air Force Base, was knocked unconscious. Police further state that Johnson ignored Larry and continued on to the fight involving his friend.
Larry died at the scene. His cause of death was listed as blunt force trauma to the head after an autopsy revealed a softball size bruise behind his left ear and a skull fracture.
Johnson is accused of hiding from investigators in a hotel room. After he was located he reportedly told police that he pushed Larry. This is despite a witness alleging that Johnson had told him, “Man I hit that guy, I laid him out, and I think I killed him.”
According to police Johnson holds an amateur MMA record of 5-2 and has three years of “advanced fighter training.”
If convicted Johnson faces the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence. In 2022 a man from Jasper, FL was convicted of 15 years for voluntary manslaughter after he killed a man in a bar fight in Cherokee county.
An MMA fighter was killed with a sucker punch in 2021
The incident involving Johnson has similar circumstances to the death of MMA fighter Fau Vake. He was killed in 2021 after being sucker punched outside of a bar in Auckland, New Zealand.
Vake, who trained with Israel Adesanya, Alexander Volkanovski and a number of other UFC fighters, died after spending nine days in a coma.
Daniel Havili was convicted of manslaughter and assault with intent to injure and sentenced to less than three years in prison. His sentencing came amid calls from Vake’s training partners that New Zealand enact tougher punishments for killings involving sucker punches.
About the author
