La Verne Police are investigating an allegation that two Damien football coaches assaulted an opposing player during a postgame incident Friday night.
A Bishop Amat High football player alleges he was assaulted by two Damien High football coaches following a football game and postgame altercation between the teams Friday night.
Jesse Ramos, the father of Bishop Amat senior running back Aiden Ramos, confirmed Saturday morning that his son filed an incident report with the La Verne Police Department on Friday night, alleging two coaches on the Damien football staff assaulted him during a postgame fracas and left him with a bruise under his left eye.
According to his son, Jesse Ramos said words were exchanged and a coach grabbed his son’s shoulder pads and ripped his helmet off. “There was also another coach involved, but all the details will come out,” he said.
The La Verne police department is investigating a battery charge in which a 19-year-old alleges two subjects battered him, and one involves a Damien high football coach. The incident allegedly happened following Friday night’s football game between Bishop Amat and Damien. pic.twitter.com/asIXbP7Kga
— Fred J. Robledo
(@SGVNSports) September 24, 2022
La Verne Police Lt. Jason Prows confirmed that an investigation into a battery charge involving coaches from Damien High stemming from Friday’s game is underway.
“The incident occurred after the football game between Damien High School and Bishop Amat High School on September 23, 2022,” Prows wrote in a press release. “A 19-year-old Bishop Amat student alleges two subjects battered him, and at least one of the subjects involved is a Damien High School Football Team coach.
Calls to Damien head coach Matt Bechtel and Damien athletic director Jeff Grant were not returned.
Following Bishop Amat’s 35-7 victory over Damien, Bishop Amat coach Steve Hagerty refused to shake Bechtel’s hand. Bechtel appeared to confront Hagerty about it as players were continuing to shake hands.
Bishop Amat and Damien getting nasty afterward, and it started with Amat coach Steve Hagerty not shaking Damien coach Matt Bechtel’s hands, accusing Bechtel of slapping his hands last year. Hagerty refused to talk after and took his team out without answering questions pic.twitter.com/WeEBlUyagG
— Fred J. Robledo
A few moments later, players from both teams began shoving and some coaches were in the middle of it.
Jesse Ramos provided pictures of his son’s face to the Southern California Newspaper Group, showing a small bruise under Aiden Ramos’ eye, which he says was a result of the altercation.
“It’s a horrible situation all the way around,” Jesse Ramos said. “As an adult, you don’t put hands on a player. I don’t care if he is of age.”
