Jon 'War Machine' Koppenhaver Apprehended by Police After Fleeing Arrest
Former UFC and Bellator welterweight Jon Koppenhaver, who changed his name to War Machine in 2008, has been apprehended by police for the alleged assault of his longtime girlfriend and adult film actress Christy Mack. He is currently being held in Simi Valley, California, and is awaiting extradition to Las Vegas on several outstanding warrants.
The news was first released by the Simi Valley Police Department, and it was reported by Fox Sports' Marc Raimondi on Twitter:
"War Machine is in Simi Valley (Calif.) City Jail pending his extradition to Nevada, per the U.S. Marshals office.
— Marc Raimondi (@marc_raimondi) August 15, 2014"
Last week, Christy Mack was hospitalized with serious injuries stemming from the alleged assault. She gave her account of the events, saying Koppenhaver entered her home, attacked a male friend and threw him out of the house before beating Mack, attempting to rape her and threatening her with a knife. She posted her full account of the attack and photos of her numerous injuries, on her Twitter account (warning: may contain NSFW content).
Koppenhaver has been on the run ever since, but he has made several posts on Twitter, claiming innocence and that the police were unfairly pursuing him.
"I'm not a bad guy, I went to surprise my gf, help her set up her show and to give her an engagement ring and ended up fighting for my life.
— War Machine (@WarMachine170) August 11, 2014"
This is far from the first brush with the law for Koppenhaver. In 2007, he was charged with assault stemming from a fight outside a San Diego bar. In 2008, he was again charged with assault stemming from an altercation in a club. He received probation and community service in both cases but would receive jail time following a 2010 assault case. He would again wind up in jail in 2012.
War Machine will appear before a judge in the coming days, and he could be facing serious time. Keep an eye on Bleacher Report for more news as it becomes available.
