Former WWE wrestler accused of strangling the driver of a moving vehicle in the 2022 incident that led to his girlfriend’s death is not opposing
A former WWE wrestler and college football talent pleaded not guilty after being charged with strangling the driver of a moving vehicle in Michigan.
Kyle Rasmussen was arrested in October 2022 and charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder or strangulation.
After initially pleading not guilty to the charge, which is a felony, he changed his plea to no contest.
This means that Rasmussen does not admit his guilt but accepts whatever sentence is handed down.
Rasmussen was in the back seat of a pickup truck in Rochester Hills, a Detroit suburb, during the early morning hours of October 29, 2022.
Kyle Rasmussen did not contest strangulation charges stemming from a 2022 incident
Rasmussen, a former WWE wrestler, allegedly attempted to strangle the driver of a moving truck.
The driver stopped the car after the alleged incident. Both the driver and Rasmussen’s girlfriend, Sarah Ratliff, fled the vehicle. Ratliff and was struck by an SUV and died.
Before wrestling, Rasmussen (97) played college soccer for Michigan State University.
Just after 2:00 a.m., Rasmussen allegedly attempted to grab the steering wheel and strangle the 31-year-old driver of the vehicle.
The driver stopped where he and Rasmussen’s girlfriend, who was also in the vehicle, fled on foot.
But his girlfriend, 30-year-old Sarah Ratliff, was struck by a van while trying to escape and was taken to hospital where she died of her injuries.
Rasmussen was a former football player at Michigan State who decided to pursue professional wrestling.
He debuted with Florida Championship Wrestling, part of WWE’s training territory in December 2009.
Rasmussen competed under the ring name Conrad Tanner and was involved in 26 bouts before retiring in November 2010, having wrestled for less than a year.
