Michigan wide receiver Csont’e York was arrested on July 18 after allegedly assaulting a man outside a bar in Ann Arbor. On Tuesday, Ann Arbor police released a surveillance video that allegedly shows York brutally sucker-punching the victim.
According to MLive.com, the man York hit suffered a broken jaw and lost a tooth. The police report states that the victim’s jaw, which was broken in three places, needed to be wired shut and that he temporarily needed a breathing tube. You can see York wind up and punch the 23-year-old man at around the 19-second mark.
What prompted the attack? Apparently the 20-year-old York and fellow Michigan player Da’Mario Jones got into an argument with the victim and his friend because York thought the victim bumped into him. It sounds like there were a few differing accounts of what happened:
There was also some sort of argument about hockey and football, according to the report.
A witness described for police what happened after he and the victim left Scorekeepers.
“A group of people were arguing about football and hockey. Everyone was talking … crap. … (The victim) was jaw-jacking. All (of a) sudden, the guy just came up and cold clocked (the victim).”
One witness said he thought York hit the victim because he is white, according to the report, but York and Jones told police it was because the men bumped into them.
York, who has been suspended indefinitely, told police that the victim “walked up on” his teammate after bumping into York and Jones and that the receiver threw a punch because he was afraid.
“He pressed up on him face to face exchanging words for no reason,” York explained. “I got (nervous) and scared about the situation so I hit the guy. I punched him.”
The video obviously doesn’t tell the entire story, but it certainly didn’t look like the victim was threatening anyone. In fact, it appeared he was standing there looking the other way when he was rocked in the face. York is being charged with one count of aggravated assault and two counts of assault and battery. I can’t imagine that video helping his case or standing with the team.
H/T Deadspin
