A West Park youth football coach was arrested Monday for allegedly hitting a referee so hard, it knocked the referee to the ground, the Broward Sheriff's Office said.
But Monday afternoon, Sheriff Al Lamberti questioned why Dion Robinson, 43, an assistant coach for the West Park Saints, was allowed to coach children in the first place.
Robinson, of West Park, has an extensive criminal record that includes aggravated assault, assault with a firearm and multiple arrests for cocaine distribution, Lamberti said.
"He was coaching the West Park Saints, but he was far from a saint," Lamberti said. "He has got an extensive record. It calls into question, 'Was a background check ever done on Mr. Robinson?' "
Lamberti added, "The bigger question is why was he allowed to have contact with kids?"
Robinson is accused of assaulting referee Andrew Keigans during Saturday's game against the Miramar Patriots at West Park's McTyre Park.
West Park Mayor Eric H. Jones said he planned to speak to City Administrator W. Ajibola Balogun to determine whether background checks are being conducted for coaches in the city ? and whether the city needs to act on the matter. "I'll have to check and see on that," Jones said.
Neither Balogun nor Cesar Garcia, the city's parks and recreation superintendent, could be reached for comment Monday despite phone messages and emails.
Saturday, Keigans was attacked after he called a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct against the Saints. The referee said he had heard one of Saints' assistant coaches ? a sheriff's report doesn't say which coach ? make a derogatory comment from the sidelines.
Keigans threw the penalty flag. "Suddenly, the assistant coach, who apparently disagreed with the penalty being called, barged the field and confronted the referee, all along being held back by the head coach," a sheriff's report said.
Because the assistant coach left the sidelines and entered the playing field to confront the referee about the penalty, a head referee ended the game. The Patriots cheered the decision as they claimed the win. Keigans couldn't be reached for comment Monday despite a message left a listed number.
A coach for the Patriots who was recording the game also captured the assault, a report said. The video shows Keigans trying to leave the field amid the commotion when Robinson ran toward the referee and struck him on the face with his hand, the Sheriff's Office said.
Robinson vanished after the attack and wasn't home when deputies initially went to arrest him, the Sheriff's Office said.
Staff Researcher Barbara Hijek contributed to this report. jcortega@tribune.com or 954-356-4701
Source: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/fl-youth-football-coach-slapped-20121015,0,1099271.story?track=rss
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