Herd fans do you remember this..
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Miami of Ohio defensive coordinator Jon
Wauford was released on $5,000 bond early Wednesday after he
was arrested for allegedly shoving a fan who was celebrating
Marshall's last-second win. Wauford allegedly shoved Robert A.
Flaugher, who then hit his head on the artificial turf and was taken
on a stretcher to a hospital with a concussion, according to a report
filed by State Police in Huntington.
Robert A. Flaugher was among thousands of Marshall fans who stormed the field
moments after Stan Hill ran for a 1-yard touchdown with 5 seconds left to give the
Thundering Herd a 36-34 victory Tuesday night.
Flaugher, 36, of Pickerington, Ohio, was in stable condition at St. Mary's Medical
Center early Wednesday, said a nursing supervisor who did not want her name
released.
Miami of Ohio suspended Wauford and another assistant coach Wednesday.
Linebackers coach Taver Johnson admitted to damaging a coaches' box following a
last-second loss at Marshall. Miami officials said Johnson was suspended after he
took responsibility for damaging a Marshall Stadium coaches' box, where a desk was
destroyed and chairs thrown through walls.
Miami said it will reimburse Marshall for repairing the damage to the coaches' box.
Wauford has a court hearing Dec. 13.
"My brother was jumping up and down, celebrating with the Marshall players,"
Flaugher's brother, Todd, said from the hospital. "He said he was waving goodbye to
the Miami players and that one of them threw their mouthpieces at him. He said the
next thing he knew, he was in an ambulance."
Robert Flaugher underwent a CT scan and had a "pounding headache," his brother
said. "I'm not sure if he's going home tonight."
1 of 3.
As of 3:15 a.m., he was still in the hospital waiting for test results.
An ESPN television audience watched Wauford, 32 and a former defensive end in the
Canadian Football League, get led off the field in handcuffs by State Police. He was
charged with battery, a misdemeanor, and transported to Cabell County Magistrate
Court.
Mike Harris, sports information director at Miami, would not say early Wednesday
morning what action the school might take against Wauford.
"Right now we're just trying to gather all the facts and go from there," Harris said. "We
should have a statement sometime later today."
Todd Flaugher, 33, said neither he nor his brother used foul or abusive language
toward any Miami players or coaches. The brothers were near the south end zone and
were getting ready to exit the stadium.
"It was a sucker punch, basically," Todd Flaugher said. "I saw the follow-through. Two
State Police officers were standing about 10 feet away and saw it all."
Marshall coach Bob Pruett said he didn't see the incident and declined to comment on
it.
Asked about the damage in the Miami coaches' box, Pruett said: "People get excited
after games. It's a very emotional game. You put your life and soul into a ballgame,
and sometimes you react in ways that would be distressful."
On Sept. 19, Kansas City Royals first-base coach Tom Gamboa was attacked by a
35-year-old man and his 15-year-old son during a game against the Chicago White
Sox at Comiskey Park.
The boy was released to his family after pleading guilty Oct. 21 to one count of
aggravated battery and two counts of mob action. His father, William Ligue Jr.,
pleaded innocent to three felony counts of aggravated battery and one felony count of
mob action.
"This was nothing like that," Todd Flaugher said. "No one touched him."
Last Sunday, a football fan ran onto the field near the end of a CFL playoff game in
Winnipeg and jumped on a player. The fan was thrown off, punched and kicked by
several players and charged with disorderly conduct.
Todd Flaugher said police led Miami head coach Terry Hoeppner over to see his
brother down on the ground.
"I saw a Marshall fan jumping up and down and he was close to the coach," said Matt
Riley, a witness. "I'm not sure if he said something, but I saw the coach just take his
forearm and give him a quick shove. His head looked like it snapped back and hit the turf hard."
Mid-American Conference commissioner Rick Chryst was standing near Wauford,
who pleaded his case with State Police as he was led away.
A message left at Chryst's hotel room in Huntington early Wednesday was not
immediately returned.
With its conference title hopes dashed, Miami players and coaches left the stadium
without talking to the media. RedHawks officials refused to comment on Wauford's
arrest.
Wauford was a three-time all-MAC defensive end at Miami of Ohio from 1989-91. He
later played for Ottawa and Las Vegas in the CFL.
|
