A high school basketball referee was reportedly arrested after punching a coach in the face, TMZ Sports reports.
Brandon Knapper, 26, was charged with battery causing serious bodily injury and assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury during an incident that took place during the second half of a fall league game between Arlington and Oak Hills High Schools in Corona, California, last Saturday (October 21). Video footage of the incident, which was obtained and shared by TMZ Sports on Friday (October 27), shows Knapper punching Oak Hills head coach Rob Alexander and knocking him to the ground.
Alexander was reportedly upset with Knapper's officiating, which led to an argument prior to punches being thrown. Alexander was seen standing on the sideline with his hands on his hips when Knapper approached him.
Knapper appeared to land several more punches while Alexander was lying on the ground following the initial blow. Players and fans intervened to separate the two men and several bystanders tended to Alexander before the video footage concluded.
The game didn't resume after the incident took place. Knapper was reportedly forced away from the scene and Alexander was hospitalized for injuries sustained during the incident but was reported to be returning to coaching and teaching as soon as possible, Oak Hills' Hesperia Unified School District confirmed in a statement to TMZ Sports.
Knapper surrendered to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department the following day and had his bail set at $25,000 before being released on Wednesday (October 25). The 26-year-old had previously played college basketball at West Virginia, Eastern Kentucky and Cal State.
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