A man identified as Semoen Tesfamariam was charged on Tuesday with assaulting former Olympic volleyball player Kim Glass, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
The 37-year-old Glass shared the injuries she suffered in an Instagram story on Monday which showed her right eye completely swollen shut, blackened and a stitched-up gash on her nose.
Glass detailed leaving lunch in Los Angeles when she saw a man throw a metal pipe that ended up hitting her in the head. Those around her restrained Tesfamariam and assisted the former volleyball player until emergency services arrived.
The 51-year-old Tesfamariam faces one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon which also includes allegations that he caused great bodily injury. He was previously convicted of a violent felony in 2020. If convicted, he faces 11 years in California state prison.
From the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office:
“This was a brutal, unprovoked attack. Mr. Tesfamariam has a troubling history of attacking apparently random people with dangerous weapons. His behavior appears to have escalated with time. We have asked the court to preventatively detain him to protect the public. The court granted that request and he is currently being held without bail,” District Attorney Gascón said.
His first felony assault occurred in 2018 and the second in 2019. He was initially sentenced to a probationary sentence and later received a state prison term and was on parole at the time of this offense.
Tesfamariam’s arraignment hearing is set for Aug. 17.
In a video posted on Tuesday, Glass thanked people for sending thoughts, prayers and positive messages her way.
Glass was born in Los Angeles, CA. and raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania where she was the 2001 Pennsylvania State Gatorade Player of the Year.
She went to college at the University of Arizona where she was named an All-American and four-time All-Pac-10. In 2008, she was named to the USA Volleyball Women’s National Team at the Beijing Olympics where she won a silver medal.