A former South Texas high school football player who tackled a referee after being ejected from a Texas high school football game in 2020 pleaded no contest Tuesday morning to a charge of assault with bodily injury, according to CBS 4 News Rio Grande Valley.
Emmanuel Duron, 22, will serve as a community supervisor for one year.
On December 3, 2020, Duron was ejected for an unsportsmanlike penalty during a high school playoff game between the Edinburg High School Bobcats and the Far San Juan Alamo Bears. Tackled Alfred “Fred” Gracia. Once the call was made, he sprinted from the sideline and punched the referee, who fell to the ground.
CBS 4 News reported that Duran was sentenced to deferred adjudication and ordered to serve one year of community supervision. During this time, conditions include avoiding places and people of a harmful nature, paying fines, and maintaining employment.
McAllen Monitor reported at the time that Gracia was diagnosed with a concussion by stadium medical personnel.
According to CBS News 4, after suffering embarrassment, pain, and mental and physical damage from the assault, Gracia eventually filed a complaint in December 2022 with Duron, the Rio Grande Texas Sports Officials Association, and the Southwest Officials Association. A lawsuit has been filed against it. Gracia is currently seeking more than $1 million.
CBS News 4 reports that Duron has pending charges for manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance and was arrested in February on separate assault charges. The deal prevents him from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Edinburg, located in South Texas' Rio Grande Valley, ultimately won the football game 35-21, but the team did not advance to the playoffs as district officials decided to exclude the team from the postseason. Ta.
Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District officials apologized to the referee and released a statement.
“After consulting with senior University Interscholastic League (UIL) leadership and district attorneys, the district's interim superintendent has removed the Edinburg High School football team from the playoffs following an unexpected incident involving a student-athlete and the game. We would like to sincerely apologize to the referee and his family for the incident that occurred during a soccer match on December 3, 2020. On behalf of the Edinburg CISD board and administration, we apologize to our athletes, staff, and school community.
“After understanding the underlying facts and circumstances of this incident, we will take appropriate disciplinary action. The district takes these matters very seriously. However, pending investigation, We are unable to comment further on the investigation.
“The UIL has made it clear to Interim Superintendent Gilbert Garza Jr. that if the district had not withdrawn the team, the UIL would have excluded the football team from the playoffs. Based on Texas law and district policy, the Interim Superintendent Gilbert Garza Jr. The Superintendent was authorized to proceed with the decision. Mr. Garza confirmed this after consulting with the district's attorney. The UIL issued the following statement regarding this incident:
“The UIL strongly condemns the unsportsmanlike conduct exhibited at the Edinburg vs. PSJA High School football game on December 3, 2020. Physical contact with sports personnel is never appropriate. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Edinburg CISD administration. We hope that the Edinburg CISD administration will quickly address this situation and take appropriate action to remove them from the playoffs and address the students involved in the incident. Kudos to you for what you did.
“'The conduct witnessed at the Edinburg, PSJA game is in no way representative of the values taught through interdisciplinary activities, including high school football,” said UIL Executive Director Dr. Charles Breithaupt. , responsibility, fairness, and consideration for others are important elements of educational competition. The district has taken strong and appropriate steps, and we hope that healing will come from this teachable moment. .”
Edinburg CISD
The Texas Sports Officials Association also released a statement regarding the incident.
“On the evening of December 3, 2020, another vicious and deliberate assault was committed against a TASO football official by a player who had just been ejected from a contest. Unfortunately, while working on the field “This type of blind assault on someone is nothing new in Texas football,” the statement reads.
In 2015, two John Jay High School football players punched a referee during a play. The San Antonio students have pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault, as has former John Jay head coach Mark Breed, who is accused of directing players to attack referees.
Read more from KSAT.COM:
Edinburg High School withdraws from football playoffs after player attacks referee
South Texas high school football player attacks referee after being ejected
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