The Edinburg High School football player who ran onto the field during a game to hit a referee Thursday night is now facing an assault charge.
Emmanuel Duron, 18, was charged with Class A assault around 11 a.m. Friday morning during an arraignment at the Edinburg Municipal Court.
A cash surety bond of $10,000 was set for the football player. According to jail records, he posted the bond later Friday through O. Castaneda Bail Bonds. He was released later in the evening, records show.
The incident in question occurred during a football game between Edinburg High and PSJA High at Richard R. Flores Stadium in Edinburg, where the referee, Fred Gracia, ejected Duron from the game on a play that drew flags for roughing the passer after the play was dead, and for exchanging words with the official.
After walking off the field with an Edinburg High coach, the 225-pound Duron then ran back onto the field and charged at the 59-year-old referee, blindsiding the official with a hit of such force that it sent Gracia to the turf where he laid for several minutes before gaining the strength to stand and walk away.
Gracia, a 27-year veteran referee with the Texas Association of Sports Officials, was evaluated in an on-site ambulance for concussion symptoms and a shoulder injury.
