Man stabs mixed martial arts fighter after couples brawl, Richland County sheriff says
A couple is behind bars after brawling with former friends Wednesday night, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department said.
A falling-out over accusations of bad parenting led to accusations of tire slashing and ultimately a brawl where Michael D. Hinson Jr. stabbed a mixed martial arts fighter who had beaten him up, the Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.
The 23-year-old Hinson and his girlfriend, 31-year-old Stephanie Perez-Ray, were arrested on separate charges following the fight in the 100 block of Chatham Trace, according to the news release. That’s near the intersection of Kelly Mill and Bombing Range roads in Columbia.
Hinton and Perez-Ray confronted the other couple at about 10 p.m., saying they slashed the tires on Perez-Ray’s car, the Sheriff’s Department reported.
This led to a physical battle, where Hinson fought with the other man and was beaten up by the mixed martial arts fighter, according to the release.
While he was being pummeled on the ground, Hinson pulled out a knife and stabbed the man multiple times in the upper body, the Sheriff’s Department said.
The man was taken to an area hospital, but information on his condition was not available.
Hinson was charged with attempted murder, and Perez-Ray is charged with third-degree assault and battery, according to the release.
Both are being held at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center.
The couples had a falling-out about two weeks prior to the fight, when Perez-Ray told the other woman she was a bad parent, the Sheriff’s Department said.
This story was originally published August 29, 2019 at 4:07 PM with the headline "Man stabs mixed martial arts fighter after couples brawl, Richland County sheriff says."
