WNBA star accused of punching Miami nightclub security guard has case dropped
The case against WNBA star Arike Ogunbowale, who was accused of punching a security guard at a downtown Miami nightclub, was dropped Wednesday, according to the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.
Ogunbowale was accused of misdemeanor battery in connection with the March 5 incident, but prosecutors withdrew the charge during a hearing ahead of trial, Miami-Dade State Attorney Spokesman Ed Griffith said.
“Plain and simple, the victim didn’t show up on that case,” Griffith said.
Hours before the alleged attack, Ogunbowale won a championship as a player in Unrivaled, a women’s 3-on-3 league based in Medley. She was celebrating at club E11even, according to an arrest affidavit.
A security guard was trying to escort Ogunbowale out of the nightclub after a separate incident, but she punched him in the face and made him fall, the affidavit said. Security footage showed the altercation.
Ogunbowale’s attorneys didn’t respond Thursday to request for comments.
She plays for the Dallas Wings, a Women’s National Basketball Association team, and is a four-time All-Star. She has “established herself as one of the most accomplished players in franchise and league history,” the Dallas Wings said in an April 11 statement.
Ogunbowale signed a seven-figure deal to return to the Dallas Wings for the 2026 season, according to an ESPN report.
