Police have accused a 17-year old player in a recreational soccer league of punching Ricardo Portillo, a 46-year-old referee after he called a foul on him just for issuing him a yellow card in a game in Utah, Sports Illustrated reported. Portillo died Saturday night after a week in a coma.
The suspect, whose name is withheld because he is a minor, has booked into juvenile detention on suspicion of aggravated assault. Authorities will consider additional charges since Portillo has died due to the punch.
No cause of death was released as a vigil for Portillo took place in Salt Lake City on Sunday night.
Johana Portillo, the victim's daughter, said she does not care what punishment the teenager gets. Nothing will bring back her father, she said. "When he did that, he took a part of me with him. He took my daddy away from me."
"It's not the ignorance of the child, it's the poor manners of the parents," said Pedro Lopez, Portillo's brother-in-law. "The yells and insults from the sideline from the parents make kids more violent."
The assailant was playing goalie during a game at Eisenhower Junior High School in Taylorsville when Portillo issued him a yellow card for pushing an opposing forward trying to score. A yellow card is seen as a warning to a play when committing a vilation.
The assailant then argued with Portillo, leading to the 17-year-old punching him in the face.
At first as he was escorted off the field, Portillo appeared fine, but soon felt dizzy and began vomiting blood. His friend then called for an ambulance, and brought to Intermountain Medical Center.
He later slipped into a coma with swelling in his brain, news reports said.
