ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. – A former WWE wrestler convicted of trying to strangle the driver of a moving vehicle in Rochester Hills in 2022 has been sentenced to jail time.
Kyle Rasmussen, 42, from Metamora, Michigan, has been sentenced to 153 days in jail, in addition to two years of probation in connection with an assault. Rasmussen was arrested last October and charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder or by strangulation.
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The man initially pleaded not guilty to the felony charge, but changed his plea to no contest in July before his trial could begin. Pleading no contest means Rasmussen accepts conviction, but does not admit any guilt.
Rasmussen is currently scheduled to be released from jail in early December.
What happened in 2022
At around 2 a.m. on Oct. 29, 2022, Rasmussen was riding in a pickup truck heading west on M-59 in Rochester Hills. From the backseat, Rasmussen reportedly tried to grab the steering wheel and strangle the driver, a 31-year-old man from Otter Lake.
The driver pulled over to an area off of M-59 near Adams Road, and fled on foot.
Rasmussen’s girlfriend Sarah Ratliff, 30, was also riding in the truck. She, too, exited the vehicle and fled on foot, but was struck by an SUV driving on M-59 about 100 feet from the truck, officials said then.
She was taken to the hospital and died from her injuries.
Rasmussen was arraigned three days after the incident and given a $25,000 bond. He is known as a former WWE wrestler who performed under the name Conrad Tanner. He also played football at Michigan State University, and was reportedly known for his physicality.