Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports

IndyCar Driver Accusing Red Wings Sprong of Assault

Originally posted on Detroit Hockey Now | By Bob Duff | Last updated 8/11/23

IndyCar driver Zach Claman DeMelo is accusing Detroit Red Wings forward Daniel Sprong of assaulting him. DeMelo claims the assault took place in a nightclub during the week of the Detroit Grand Prix. He’s also claiming that there were two separate incidents involving him and Sprong.

DeMelo took took social media to make his accusations, posting it on his Instagram stories. He also included a trio of photos of damage he claims Sprong did to his face. in the photos, DeMelo is displaying chipped teeth and a bloodied mouth, along with some scrapes on his arm. He also says he suffered a concussion from the alleged incident.

“During Grand Prix weekend, I was assaulted at a night club by @DetroitRedWings @NHLplayer @sprong11,” Demelo posted. “He grabbed my neck and pinned me on a wall, we were separated during that scuffle.

https://t.co/h0eqlabmpP : OT – Former INDYCAR Driver Zachary Claman DeMelo was Assulted by Detroit Red Wings Player Daniel Sprong https://t.co/g944R1KEae pic.twitter.com/hyTyBQ0y9X

— Indy 500 Blog (@Indy500Blog) August 11, 2023

“After when I believed the situation was over Daniel came back and sucker punched me in the face while I was defenceless.. The photos in the slide before is the after math of the incident. The dental work needed was brutal and I’m still not finished. I also sustained a concussion that I’ve been dealing with over the past few weeks.”

There is no suggestion in DeMelo’s post that he will be laying criminal charges against Sprong but he does hint at potential legal action.

“I just wanted to bring attention to this situation as no one has the right to act this way, especially an athlete of Daniel’s caliber,” DeMelo continued. “We must hold our self to the highest standards and for him to do this is beyond disappointing. Due to legal reasons I cannot say more at this time.”

Sprong A Recent Red Wings Addition

Neither Sprong nor the Red Wings have made any public comments since DeMelo put up his post. None of the accusations against Sprong have been proven in court.

In July, Detroit was signing Sprong to a one-year contract as an unrestricted free agent for $2 million. He scored a career-high 21 goals last season for the Seattle Kraken.

This article first appeared on Detroit Hockey Now and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: