Texas Player Charged With Assault After Attacking Referee During Football Game
EDINBURG, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) — It was a hit that reverberated across Texas and the country after a high school football player blindsided a referee who ejected him from a game on December 3 -- now that teenager is facing criminal charges.
According to The Monitor newspaper defensive lineman Emmanuel Duron has been charged with assault.
The incident happened when Duron, a player for Edinburg High School, charged from the sideline in full pads and slammed into an official during the game against Pharr-San Juan-Alamo (PSJA) High.
The referee, identified as 59-year-old Fred Garcia, had ejected Duron from the game after he committed a personal foul and received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for arguing after getting flagged for the late hit.
A cart was brought out onto the field, but Garcia was able to leave the field under his own power. The referee was evaluated for a concussion by medical personnel at the stadium and did not return to the game.
Duron was escorted from the stadium by police officers after blindsiding the ref.
According to The Monitor, the 18-year-old has been charged with class A assault. His bond has been set at $10,000.
The game resumed after the referee attack. Edinburg won 35-21 -- a victory that should have advanced the team to the playoffs, but Friday afternoon the Edinburg Consolidated ISD sent a statement to CBS 11 News saying —
"The district has decided to remove the Edinburg High School football team from the playoffs after an unexpected incident involving a student that occurred during a football game on December 3, 2020. We extend a sincere apology to the referee and his family. On behalf of the Edinburg CISD Board of Trustees and administration, we apologize to the athletes, staff, and our school community.
We will take the appropriate disciplinary action once we understand the facts and circumstances underlining this incident. The district takes these matters very seriously; however, we cannot comment further on a pending investigation."
Duron was the District 31-6A Defensive Player of the Year last season, and is also the Bobcats' kicker and punter and a star wrestler.
