Police Seek Player After Brawl That Left Worcester Team With Injuries
WORCESTER (CBS) – Police in New York are searching for a member of a semi-professional basketball player who was at the center of a brawl that left Worcester players with injuries.
Elmira Police released a pair of videos of the incident, which happened on December 16 during a game between the Elmira Eagles and Worcester 78s.
The fight left players with concussions, a broken jaw and financial loss, police said.
Police said management, players and the coach of the Eagles "knowingly misled" officers by telling them No. 22 on their team was a former player named Chad Dillard.
Tom Marino, owner of the 78s, said it was the owner of the Eagles who threw the first punch.
"From what I saw, he decided that he was going to strike a player on our team and that of course started and event," said Marino.
No. 22 can be seen in the video punching a member of the Worcester team.
During their investigation, police learned Dillard had quit the team earlier, and another person was wearing No. 22 the night of the fight.
"As the Elmira Eagles organization has refused to cooperate and provide any information into identifying the true suspect," Elmira Police said.
Marino said his player who was punched suffered a broken jaw, which was even more difficult to deal with since the team was about five hours from home.
"It was a trying day," he said.
"I'm quite proud of our guys. They didn't respond. We're there to play a basketball game, not to get in a fight."
