A Long Island man has been arrested and accused of punching a high school basketball player during an on-court, post-game melee, police said Sunday.
Jeffery Vernot, a 36-year-old Wheatley Heights man, was charged with one count of third-degree assault and one count of child endangerment, Suffolk County police said.
The fight erupted at the end of a Jan. 8 boys game between Half Hollow Hills West and Comsewogue. It began with one player from each team but quickly spiraled out of control to include parents, fans, security guards and additional players, according to online news outlet Greater Long Island.
Video of the fight shows one man coming out of the crowd and punching a Comsewogue player from behind, the site reported. The player, identified by police as a 15-year-old boy, is seen afterward holding his head in pain.
Investigators identified the attacker as Vernot, according to Suffolk County police. He was issued an appearance ticket and will make his first court appearance at an unspecified later date. Both third-degree assault and child endangerment carry potential one-year prison sentences.
No other charges were announced in connection with the brawl. The score was 63-52 Half Hollow Hills West with 44 seconds left when the fight erupted, and the game was declared final after the brawl. Half Hollow Hills West improved to 8-0 on the season with the win, while Comsewogue fell to 4-4.
