Jon Jones, who was stripped of the UFC light heavyweight title earlier this year following his alleged involvement in a hit-and-run vehicle collision, will appear in court later this month for what could be a critical hearing in the case.
According to a Monday morning report from Marc Raimondi of MMA Fighting, the hearing is set for September 29 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Documents related to the logistics of the case stated that the location of the hearing was changed "on the stipulation of the parties for the entry of a pre-indictment plea." This suggests that a plea deal may be forthcoming.
Jones faces a charge of leaving the scene of an accident involving great bodily harm or death, which is a felony.
No matter what happens in the Second Judicial District Court, Jones has undoubtedly paid a heavy price related to the incident.
In the early morning hours of April 26, a rented vehicle allegedly driven by Jones struck another vehicle driven by a pregnant woman, who broke her arm as a result of the collision. According to eyewitness reports, a man matching Jones’ description fled the scene, then returned to retrieve money before fleeing again. The next day, Jones turned himself into authorities.
The incident touched off a firestorm around Jones and the UFC, which went on to strip Jones of his light heavyweight title and suspend him indefinitely. Jones also lost his endorsement deal with Reebok shortly after the incident.
Not enormously surprised at the title being stripped but I am at the timing. Strong statement from UFC.
— Brian Stann (@BrianStann) April 29, 2015
Jones had previous legal troubles because of his behavior outside of competition.
The 28-year-old Jones (21-1) was widely considered the best MMA fighter on Earth at the time of the hit-and-run incident. He has not fought since.
In the wake of Jones' suspension, Anthony Johnson stepped in to face Daniel Cormier for the newly vacant championship at UFC 187. Cormier won the bout by third-round submission to capture the title.
Though there have been multiple reports that Jones has returned to regular training, there has been no time frame announced for any possible return to competition.
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