A 17-YEAR-OLD who allegedly punched a referee who showed him a yellow card in a youth match in Utah, was charged with homicide last night, less than a week after the official died.
A statement issued by Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said prosecutors would seek to have the accused tried as an adult in the death of Ricardo Portillo. The youth, who has so far not been named because he is a minor, allegedly punched Portillo in the face during a match on April 27.
Portillo, 46, was first thought to have minor injuries, but was later found to have serious internal head injuries and he died in hospital on 4 May. The boy was arrested on 29 April and charged with aggravated assault.
He has now been charged with homicide by assault, a less serious charge than manslaughter that is brought when an assailant is not thought to have intended to kill.