SILVER SPRING, Md. — A Maryland man pleaded guilty to charges connected to a bar fight that left another man dead in Silver Spring more than two years ago.
According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, 33-year-old Nickolis Williams pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the death of 29-year-old Darcel Cole. Williams now faces up to 30 years in prison for the deadly bar fight.
The charges stem from a fight outside the Odalis Restaurant in Silver Spring on December 18, 2021. Williams and Cole got into an argument at the restaurant and agreed to go outside and fight.
The two men were reportedly captured by surveillance cameras walking to a nearby parking lot, where they began to fight. Williams is much larger than Cole and has boxing training. A short time later, Williams hit Cole with a punch that knocked Cole to the ground. The video shows Cole lying motionless on the ground and Williams continues to hit him.
Williams then walks away, leaving Cole motionless on the ground. He then returned and proceeded to stomp on Cole's head three times. He then appears to check on Cole's body before running away.
Cole was found unresponsive with significant head trauma. He was taken to an area hospital but remained in a vegetative state for 9.5 months. He died from his injuries on October 5, 2022. An autopsy shows he died from complications resulting from head trauma and his death was ruled a homicide.
Williams was arrested and originally denied any involvement but later admitted to the attack. During a search of his car, police say they recovered clothing matching his outfit from the night of the bar fight in a bag, along with sneakers that had blood on them. The DNA on the shoes matched Cole.
Williams will be sentenced on May 30, 2024.
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