Soccer Referee Dies After Punch In The Face

Last week I wrote about a a soccer referee in Utah who was in a coma after being punched in the face by a player he had flagged for a foul.

 https://tbilaw.com/blog/soccer-referee-in-coma-after-being-punched-by-player/

There’s an update: The referee died.

ABC News reported that Ricardo Portillo, 46, passed away on Saturday night. He had been hospitalized and in critical condition since April 27.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/soccer-referee-punched-teen-player-dies/story?id=19112917#.UYcGCkp9tvQ

Initially, it appears that game officials and medical staff misjudged the seriousness of Portillo’s injuries, according to ABC News. But soon after arriving at the hospital, he went into a coma. He had bleeding and swelling of his brain.

He was refereeing an Eisenhower Junior High game in Taylorsville, Utah, last weekend and flagged a 17-year-old for a foul. This idiot youth then punched Portillo.

The under-aged teen has been held in custody at the Salt Lake City Detention Center since Monday, and ABC News reported that police may bring additional charges against him.

Here’s a suggestion for one: manslaughter.

Portillo’s family, of course, is devastated by his death. And here’s the kicker: His daughter Johana told reporters that the fatal accident last Saturday wasn’t the first time he was assaulted on the soccer field.

That’s sportsmanship for you.