A Texas high school student and his family allegedly assaulted an adult basketball coach after he benched the young player during a game, officials said Friday.
Shortly before 10 p.m. on Dec. 5, deputies with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the parking lot of Willis High School after an alleged assault took place.
The school's basketball team had recently returned from an away game, where the coach says he had to bench one of his 17-year-old players due to the teen's behavior toward a member of the opposing team, the sheriff's office said. This infuriated the player and his family, the coach told authorities.
The coach says he went inside the school upon returning that evening, but when he went back out to the parking lot, the 17-year-old and his family were still there.
"As they approached the victim, they began a verbal confrontation, which led to (the player) punching the victim in the face," the sheriff's office said. "At that same time, (the player's brother) also began assaulting the coach."
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Authorities said another coach who witnessed the altercation tried to break it up along with several bystanders, but once it was over, both suspects fled the scene.
Deputies looked over video, interviewed witnesses and corroborated the victim's facts in investigating the alleged assault, which they said left the victim with injuries to his head, neck, face and arms.
They later arrested the 17-year-old and his 22-year-old brother for assault on a public servant. Both have since been released from Montgomery County Jail after each posted a $23,000 bond.
The coach, identified by NBC News as 37-year-old Jeremy Clark, told NBC News the brothers began punching him after he told the young player that he'd be suspended for his behavior. Clark said he was stunned by the assault, as he had a good relationship with the player and considered him his mentee.
