January 06, 2016
Screen capture/ YouTube
Neshaminy High School basketball coach Jerry Devine appeared to head-butt a referee in this video posted to YouTube. The incident occurred during a game with Pennsbury High School on Jan. 5, 2016.
On Wednesday, Neshaminy High School basketball coach Jerry Devine was caught on video apparently head-butting the referee and knocking him down late in his team's 49-42 loss to Pennsbury High School.
Devine was ejected, and play continued. But on Wednesday morning, the Neshaminy School District announced that the Bucks Co. coach would be placed on administrative leave "pending the outcome of that review for both his teaching and coaching positions," according to philly.com's Emily Babay.
But the possibility of losing his job is only the beginning of Devine's potential problems following the head-butt. The Bucks Co. district attorney's office -- as well as the police -- are also deciding whether or not to press charges. Here's more from Emily:
"I have viewed the video a few times and I believe there will be a prosecution," David Heckler, the Bucks County district attorney, said Wednesday afternoon. "I think a coach has a very high level of responsibility to teach and lead kids. This teaches every wrong lesson you can think about."
The decision of whether to charge the coach will depend on the results of an ongoing police investigation, including what was said and whether the referee was injured, he said. [philly.com]
Police were not immediately dispatched to the school Tuesday night, but are reportedly still looking into the incident and helping the D.A. decide whether or not to press charges.
You can read Emily's full story on the head-butt incident -- and the fallout -- over at philly.com.
Follow Matt on Twitter: @matt_mullin
