An Atlanta security guard claims a popular pro wrestler grabbed her by the neck and tried to force her to his hotel room during WrestleMania earlier this year.
Corinne Oliver, who was working for Allied Barton Security Services at the time, said she had to wrestle her way out of Heath Slater’s grip, and the April 4 encounter with the World Wrestling Entertainment star has left her with back pains.
Atlanta police spokesman John Chafee said Thursday the alleged incident is still under investigation and no charges have been filed.
According to Channel 2 Action News, which cited an anonymous source in the wrestling industry, Slater said the incident did not occur and that he was with his fiancee that night. Efforts to reach Slater directly were unsuccessful Thursday.
WWE spokesman Jerry McDevitt told Channel 2 Action News the incident doesn't involve the hugely popular wrestling organization.
“The alleged victim is making claims against Slater individually, and it’s being investigated," WWE spokesman Jerry McDevitt said. "This has nothing to do with the WWE.”
On WWE’s website, the 6-foot-2 and 232-pound Slater is described as a “young stud” from Pineville, W. Va. -- a one man rock band without the instruments. The 28-year-old, red-haired wrestler, born Heath Miller, has been with the WWE since 2006.
According to a police report, the alleged assault against Oliver occurred between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. April 4 at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta on Peachtree Street. The day before, an estimated 70,000 fans attended WrestleMania 27 at the Georgia Dome.
Oliver’s attorney, Jackie Patterson, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday that his client was working security at the hotel during an “after-party,” trying to keep fans from wrestlers.
“She basically said he [Slater] approached her and asked her to go to his room,” Patterson said. “She said no. He started telling her she was pretty and those type things. The next thing you know she was in a chokehold, and he was dragging her and bending her backward, trying to get her on the elevator to his room. She violently had to struggle to get his arm from around her neck.”
In the police report, Oliver said she had to “twist her body to get loose, leaving her with back pains.” The report describes the incident as a possible "simple assault/battery."
Oliver didn’t call 911, her attorney said, but instead immediately contacted her Allied Barton supervisor, who was on duty at the hotel at the time of the incident. But after months of inaction, the attorney said Oliver decided to file a police report on June 22, nearly three months after the incident.
“She was waiting on her supervisors to report it to the police and see what they were going to do, but they [supervisors] kept telling her, ‘We’re handling this and we’ll get it resolved,’ ” the attorney said. “When she never got it resolved that’s when she took it upon herself to go to the police.”
Allied Barton confirmed to Channel 2 Action News that Oliver did report the incident but that the security firm could not comment further now that there is an open police investigation.
Chafee, the APD spokesman, said Thursday that the case remains open. “We still have relevant parties that we will be interviewing. Once the investigation is complete the case will be sent to the DA’s office,” he said, referring to the Fulton County district attorney’s office.
Oliver is still employed by Allied Barton as a security guard, her attorney said.
“At this point and time all she wants is justice by having him arrested for the assault that occurred on her,” Patterson said. “We’re just hoping that we can get a thorough investigation to get this matter resolved.”
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