Jon Jones has been cleared of criminal charges stemming from a car accident in February, according to TMZ. The State of New Mexico dropped misdemeanor charges against Jones, stating the UFC star’s alibi defense was credible.
Police charged Jones in June with leaving the scene of a traffic accident. Police subsequently charged him with “use of telephone to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, annoy or offend.” The state filed a Nolle Prosequi (dismissal) Friday in the case against Jones. MMA Fighting senior reporter Damon Martin published a snippet of the court document.
“After further investigation, the State has reason to believe the defendant’s alibi defense is credible.”
Albuquerque police responded to reports of a crash in February when they approached a woman in the passenger seat of one of the involved cars. The woman said Jones drove the vehicle and fled the scene on foot. She called Jones, and police noted that the man on the line – who did not answer direct questions regarding his identity – “appeared to be heavily intoxicated and made statements implying his capacity to employ lethal force through third parties.”
Jones published a statement on Tuesday thanking the district attorney’s office for vindicating him and calling for accountability from the Albuquerque Police Department.
“I want to begin by thanking the district attorney’s office for carefully reviewing the facts and ultimately vindicating me completely… I have always believed in the importance of truth and fairness, and I am grateful that the evidence spoke for itself.”
Jones’s legal team issued a statement after Friday’s ruling, published by Sportsnet reporter Aaron Bronsteter.
“We have been fully vindicated… the police accepted that claim without properly weighing the facts.”
The recent incident involving Jones attracted attention right around when UFC CEO Dana White announced Jones’ retirement. Jones vacated the UFC heavyweight championship after a proposed fight with then-interim champion Tom Aspinall fell through. Jones later re-entered UFC’s drug testing pool in hopes of competing at the promotion’s White House event, but White said there’s a billion-to-one chance that matchmakers book Jones on the card.
