Ethel High School has withdrawn from a round-robin basketball tournament after a player was reportedly body-slammed, thrown to the floor, and choked by a Sebastopol police/security officer. The incident occurred as EHS’s game against Newton County at Sebastopol came to a close Thursday night.
In an exclusive interview with The Star-Herald, EHS junior shooting guard Dominguez Clark said that as the game came to a close, a skirmish broke out between the two teams. He said that as he walked away at his coach’s urging, he was body-slammed, thrown to the ground and choked by the officer.
“So this Newton team tried to fight us and I went out there because all of them rushed my teammate and I ran out and said, ‘This not about to happen,’ so then coach grabbed me and I walked away from it,” he said. “Then this white police ran past everyone and grabbed me and body-slammed me, and choked me for nothing. All I was trying to do was get my teammate.”
Clark said that it was only after his coach came to help that the officer relented.
“He wasn’t gonna get off me either until coach got him off me and he was reaching for something, but I don’t know what,” Clark said.
The Star-Herald has obtained video of the incident:
Dominguez Clark’s grandmother, Minnie Clark, who has raised him since his father was killed in 2012, said she is seeking counsel and expects to take legal action related to the alleged assault of her grandson.
“His back was hurting so I took him to the ER. He’s good and bruised now,” she said. Minnie Clark was unable to attend the game Thursday night, but said she has spoken to numerous witnesses.
“Everybody I talked to said he (Dominguez) wasn’t doing anything, so I don’t know why this happened,” she said.
EHS parents received a text Friday announcing that refunds for tickets to the two remaining games were available after the district pulled out of the tournament. Both boys’ and girls’ teams were slated to play Union tonight and Sebastopol on Saturday.
“An administrative decision has been made based on inappropriate actions upon an Ethel player and the use of profanity directed at Ethel coaches and staff by a Sebastopol security/police officer,” said EHS Principal Culley Newman.
Sebastopol Police Chief Justin McDill did not answer the cell phone number provided for him on Friday afternoon.
A message left for Sebastopol Mayor Greg McGarrity was returned by a city staff member later on Friday, referring inquiries to the school.
“I found out on that incident last night, you’re going to have to speak with the school concerning that because that guy, he was hired by the school for security last night. He was not working for the town of Sebastopol,” she said in the voicemail message.
Follow The Star-Herald for more information on this developing story.
