Player Charged After Attack at SUNY Broome
An Erie Community College hockey player has been arrested following an attack on a referee during a championship tournament at the SUNY Broome Ice Center.
Authorities say 19-year-old Brandon Day of Cheektowaga was charged with second-degree harassment, disorderly conduct and fourth-degree criminal mischief.
According to a statement released by SUNY Broome Community College, the incident happened around 5:45 p.m. Sunday near the end of Erie's game against Dakota College at Bottineau.
Witnesses said Day had been placed in the penalty box for an offense an official had called earlier. After being in the box for most of the penalty time, Day is said to have jumped over the wall, skated hard and pushed the referee "down as hard as he could from behind."
Other players subdued Day, who was ejected from the game and sent to the locker room. He also was accused of damaging the locker room while he was detained.
The referee, a 62-year-old Binghamton man, was evaluated by a team doctor at the Ice Center.
Day was taken to the Broome County Sheriff's Office, next to the Town of Dickinson campus, for processing. He was released to his father. He was ordered to appear in town court on March 21.
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