Miss Grand USA Mekyla Li stripped of crown over hit-and-run charges
Mekyla Li's reign as Miss Grand USA ended abruptly when the organization stripped her of the crown following felony charges and eligibility violations.
The reign of Miss Grand USA has come to an abrupt and dramatic halt as Mekyla Li was stripped of her crown just over a week after securing the title. According to reports from Yahoo News, the organization announced the immediate termination of Li's reign and her release from all associated duties in a public statement. Representatives for both the pageant organization and the deposed titleholder did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the precise trigger for the firing, leaving the public statement and uncovered court documents to tell the story.
The controversy surrounds eligibility requirements enforced by the pageant network. Under official guidelines highlighted by Punchng, contestants must maintain a clean personal record devoid of criminal history and cannot be or have ever been married or pregnant. Court records reviewed across multiple outlets revealed that Li was previously married, and she is currently navigating severe legal jeopardy stemming from late last year.
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Legal Troubles and Civil Lawsuit Details
Court documentation indicates that Li was arrested in connection with an alleged hit-and-run incident in Los Angeles. The criminal case involves two felony counts—one for causing a non-serious injury and another for causing a permanent serious injury. Li entered a plea of not guilty to both charges during her arraignment.
Parallel to the criminal proceedings, a civil complaint filed in court paints a turbulent picture of the incident. According to Aol, the lawsuit alleges that Li and a male co-defendant named Michael Scobey were traveling in a vehicle that veered directly into oncoming traffic on Sunset Boulevard, colliding violently with a car driven by Anna Mercedes Aoun. The plaintiff claims she sustained catastrophic injuries, permanent disability, and lost future income as a result of the crash. Furthermore, the civil action alleges that Li and Scobey failed to contact emergency services and instead fled the scene in a rideshare vehicle. Aoun is seeking a jury trial and compensation for medical bills, property damage, lost wages, and various expenses.
Alongside the criminal and civil trials, divorce records uncovered by investigative reporting show that Li was married previously, violating the strict marital status criteria of the competition. Records showed that she was married to Danny Ray Bedwell from August 9, 2018, until December 31, 2019.
Timeline of the Reign and Fall
- August 10: Li is crowned Miss Grand USA at a competition in Las Vegas, celebrating her victory publicly as a surreal dream come true.
- August 18: Li shares an enthusiastic post on Instagram expressing excitement for the journey ahead, stating that the dreaming had become doing.
- August 19: The Miss Grand USA organization officially announces the termination of Li's reign in an Instagram statement citing contractual policies.
As reported by UK News Yahoo, the pageant's statement requested that all dialogue surrounding the transition remain respectful. Born to Chinese and South African parents and raised across three continents, Li previously won the titles of Miss Grand Massachusetts 2026 and Miss Asia USA 2025. She had expressed plans to take the international stage in full force at the global pageant competition in India later this year.
The Succession and What Lies Ahead
With Li removed from her post, the organization moved swiftly to secure a replacement for the upcoming international stage. Victoria Oluwakotanmi, who competed as Miss Grand Indiana and finished as the first runner-up in the national contest, was tapped to take over the crown and represent the United States. Oluwakotanmi previously won the Miss Black San Antonio title in March 2020 and later competed in the Miss Texas USA pageant in 2023, and she also joined the military after finishing school.
What happens next centers on the courtroom. Li faces ongoing legal proceedings regarding her criminal charges and the civil jury trial sought by the plaintiff, while Oluwakotanmi prepares to step into the international spotlight for the upcoming global pageant competition.
