Dad faces assault charge in fight with ref at son’s basketball game, Washington cops say
A 31-year-old father was charged with assault and accused of shoving a referee to the ground during his son’s eighth-grade basketball game in Washington, deputies said.
The 72-year-old referee broke his nose and cheek during the fall at the Dec. 16 game at Kenmore Middle School, King County sheriff’s deputies said in a probable cause statement.
The father pleaded not guilty to the second-degree assault charge on Jan. 3, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said.
McClatchy News is not naming the father to protect his child’s identity.
During the game, the man’s son caused a foul on another player so one referee got in between the players and tried to grab the man’s son, causing him to fall, deputies said after reviewing a video of the incident.
Then the father ran onto the basketball court and rammed a 72-year-old referee to the ground from behind who was not involved in separating the two players, deputies said.
The referee fell on his face, breaking his nose and cheek.
Deputies said his nose bled for over an hour so medical responders took him to a Seattle hospital.
Meanwhile, deputies said the father, screaming, grabbed his son off the court and left.
He was released from jail on Dec. 18 after posting bail, which was set at $20,000.
His next court hearing is Feb. 17.
This story was originally published January 4, 2022 at 5:43 PM with the headline "Dad faces assault charge in fight with ref at son’s basketball game, Washington cops say."
