MMA fighter who witnessed George Floyd’s murder charged with domestic assault

Nick Ferraro, Pioneer Press
·5 min read
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Donald Wynn Williams, a mixed martial arts fighter who witnessed George Floyd’s death and later testified in Derek Chauvin’s murder trial, has been charged with domestic assault after allegedly attempting to strangle his ex-girlfriend and hitting her in the face after an argument near the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.

Williams, 34, of Minneapolis, also is accused of resisting arrest and threatening to kill St. Paul police officers, who were sent to a domestic abuse call at Asbury Street and Midway Parkway around 5:15 p.m. Saturday.

Later, in an interview with police, Williams denied strangling or hitting the woman. He said he suffers from PTSD related to Floyd’s death and Chauvin’s trial, according to charges.

Williams, wearing a black Northside Boxing Club sweatshirt, was among those who pleaded with police on May 25, 2020, as Chauvin pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck while three other Minneapolis officers stood by. Williams testified during Chauvin’s state trial last year that based on his training he thinks Chauvin was using a blood choke on Floyd, which he also described as “torture.”

The criminal complaint against Williams gives the following account:

Responding officers met with a woman who said that she and her three children were selling bottles of water in the area because of the State Fair crowds. She told police she received a text from her ex-boyfriend, Williams, telling her to buy ice, but that she refused because she didn’t want to leave her children by themselves. She and Williams then argued over text messages.

When she returned to her vehicle parked at Asbury Street and Midway Parkway, Williams was sitting in his vehicle. She got into her vehicle and Williams began yelling at her about buying ice. Williams got out of his vehicle, approached her driver’s side window, reached into her vehicle with his left hand and grabbed her throat and strangled her, according to the complaint.

She told police Williams used his right hand to backhand her on the left side of her face. She said Williams stopped when someone in the area yelled, “Hey!” at him, the complaint read. Williams left the area.

She showed officers a scratch and small bruise on the left side of her neck and said her throat was sore when she swallowed. She said she could not breathe and was in fear for her life while Williams was strangling her, the complaint states.

Williams, who was located nearby with his 9-year-old daughter, resisted arrest and fought with officers, the complaint alleges. Williams complied and was handcuffed after an officer pulled out his Taser, activated the red dots and pointed it at him.

Williams used his body weight to resist officers as they brought him to a squad car, charges say. Williams was “verbally hostile” and refused to get into the car.

Once inside, Williams kicked the door and said that if he “could take the cuffs off, he would ‘(expletive) up’ the officers and kill them,” the complaint read. “Williams told one officer that he could kill him, and that he knew who the officer’s family was and would come after them.”

In a statement to police, Williams said he is romantically involved with the woman and that she is also a business partner. He said they argued when he discovered they needed ice and again when he drove to where she was parked. He said he did not try to strangle, hit or touch her during the altercation.

Williams said he did not comply with arresting officers because he was worried about his daughter being left by herself, the complaint states. He said he did not let the officer grab his legs and take him to the ground, referred to his wrestling skills and said he was a professional fighter.

Williams said he was “very angry” about his arrest, the complaint read, and that he suffers from PTSD because of Floyd’s murder and the trial. He mentioned how he testified at the state trial against Chauvin and that he has been asked to testify at upcoming trials. He said he could not remember exactly what he said in the squad car on the way to jail, but repeated that he was angry.

Williams was charged Monday with felony domestic assault by strangulation and misdemeanor domestic assault-intentionally inflicts/attempts to inflict bodily harm. He made a first appearance on the charges on Tuesday and was conditionally released.

No attorney was listed in court records for Williams, who could not be reached for comment.

PAST CHARGES

Minnesota court records show that Williams was charged with misdemeanor fifth-degree assault in October of last year after allegedly punching a pizza delivery driver in the face in Roseville. Earlier this month, prosecutors and Williams reached an agreement in the case. It was amended to a disorderly conduct charge, which would be dismissed if he does not commit any same or similar offenses over the next year, according to court records.

Williams has two pending misdemeanor criminal cases. He was charged with obstructing legal process and driving after revocation following a traffic stop in New Brighton in February 2020. This past June, he was cited by Minneapolis police with obstructing legal process.

Known as “The Deathwish,” Williams has a 6-6 record in MMA professional fights and hasn’t competed since March 2019, according to Tapology. In a Sports Illustrated feature story on Williams published shortly after Chauvin’s murder conviction, he spoke of his trauma from Floyd’s death and the trial and said he hoped to train and fight again.

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