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All charges against WWE 205 Live star Richard Swann were dismissed this afternoon when a determination was made by Prosecutors that there was "insufficient evidence" to move forward with the case.
Swann was arrested early Sunday morning 12/10/17 and charged with false imprisonment/kidnapping and a misdemeanor charge of battery- touching or striking. The victim in the alleged incident was Swann's wife, Vannarah Riggs, who performs as Su Yung on the independent wrestling scene and earlier this year, debuted for Impact Wrestling.
The arrest report stated that the two had been traveling from an event in Gainesville, Florida that Yung had performed at, discussing her match. Yung had wrestled last night for Fest Wrestling, which ran a venue titled Eight-Seconds. According to the report, Swann had been critizing Yung's performance and "began getting angry with her." Yung, feeling the argument was "going to escalate," got out of their car at 1500 East University Avenue as Swann, who was driving, was in traffic. Swann yelled for her to return to the car, but she refused and walked away.
The arrest report claimed that Swann, who had left the car as well, grabbed Yung by the arm, then around the neck, putting her in a headlock and brought her back to the car as she screamed for help. A witness to the incident told police that Yung was beating on the window trying to get out of the car as it pulled away and that she "seemed very afraid of the Defendant and was trying to get away from him."
A second witness claimed that after Swann exited his car, he failed to put it in park, leaving the car to lurch forward, where it struck a telephone pole on the corner of East University Avenue and Northeast 15th Street. Based on the location of the arrest (2400 SE Hawthorne Street in Gainesville, Florida), Swann and Yung traveled about a mile away from where the incident took place before Swann's car was stopped and he was placed under arrest.
In the arrest report, authorities stated that Yung told them she was afraid of Swann "because he has a temper sometimes" and that she was scared their argument would escalate into a physical confrontation. Yung stated that she asked Swann to pull the car over so she could leave the vehicle but he refused, so she waited until the car slowed to jump out of the car. She told authorities that she was grabbed by the arm and brought back to the car.
After being arrested and having been read his rights, Swann (according to the report) denied ever physically touching Yung and forcing her to return to the car, stating that she did so on her own. Swann claimed that he only wanted to return home and that they were using the GPS that was on Yung's phone and he "needed her to come with it." Swann also told authorities that the couple had been together five years and have been married nine months.
WWE immediately suspended Swann under the company's domestic violence policy, which states, "WWE has zero tolerance for matters involving domestic violence, child abuse and sexual assault. Upon arrest for such misconduct, a WWE talent will be immediately suspended. Upon conviction for such misconduct, a WWE talent will be immediately terminated."
In the days following the incident, Swann's wife had publicly posted positive comments about her husband on social media.
Swann's attorney, Ian Pickens, issued the following statement in the wake of the charges being dropped: "We are very pleased with the resolution of these charges. We would like to thank the State Attorney’s Office for conducting a thorough investigation, as well as Mr. Swann’s family, friends, and fans that supported him through this. During our representation of Mr. Swann, we have come to know him as a kind and humble young man, who we believe has a bright future ahead of him. We are hopeful that with the dismissal of these charges Mr. Swann will be able to return to the WWE and our firm will do everything we can to assist him in returning to the ring. Thank you.”
The charges being dismissed should indeed lead to Swann's reinstatement as a performer for WWE. PWInsider.com has reached out to WWE for clarification as to when this may happen.
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