Draymond Green ain’t got nothing on Gage Ketterman. The West Virginia basketball player is facing adult felony charges after allegedly elbowing an opponent in the face and breaking his nose during a basketball game, according to court documents.
The incident occurred on February 26, during a game between Harman and Union. Ketterman, an 18-year-old at Harman School, was arrested last Monday for what the victim’s mother and police feel was a strategic attack to injure her son.
Why Was 18-Year-old Harman Student Gage Ketterman Arrested?
West Virginia State Police became aware of the assault on Feb. 27 after the injury was reported by the student’s mother a few hours after a game between Union High School and Harman School.
Ketterman, 18, faces felony charges as an adult for breaking an opponent’s nose during a basketball game.
Injuries happen on the court, and we don’t know if there was any history between Ketterman and his alleged target, but the woman claimed that her son was “elbowed in the face” which caused the victim’s nose to sprout blood “profusely” for more than four hours before being taken to a nearby hospital, according to court documents obtained by WBOY.
The mother said her son had to be transported from the Union Educational Complex, in the Mount Storm area of Grant County, to Garrett Memorial Hospital for medical treatment.
Why Did Player’s Mother Press Charges?
Most of the time these kinds of incidents are settled by the schools, but Ketterman’s actions must have been blatant enough to elevate the situation to criminal. Video footage from the game, reviewed by the state police, confirm the mother’s claims. It’s a slippery slope taking incidents that happen in the heat of battle in high school sports competitions and involving the police, but the victim’s mother couldn’t let her son’s broken nose pass.
Ketterman Assaulted Other Players That Game
Ketterman allegedly elbowed the player in the face hard enough to break his nose and cause excessive bleeding for four hours. Facebook
According to police, the video shows Ketterman jab his elbow “directly in the face” of an opposing player. They also presented him as an all-out menace on the court, reportedly bullying and taunting multiple players throughout the game.
The clip also showed Ketterman striking players in the back of the head.
Real goonish activities. Dennis Rodman, Karl Malone, Charles Oakley, Alonzo Mourning and other kings of the elbow swing would probably appreciate this moment a bit more than the victim’s mom.
Police Confirm Ketterman’s Actions As “Intentional and Criminal[ly] Malicious In Nature.”
Authorities also noted that in the video, Ketterman can be seen “wiping something off his elbow after hitting [the Union player], concluding that Ketterman’s actions seemed “intentional and criminal[ly] malicious in nature.”
Ketterman posted a $12,500 bond last Monday. Google Maps
It gets worse for the athlete. Because Ketterman was 18 years old at the time of the incident, authorities have chosen to change the high school student as an adult. Cops say a warrant was issued for malicious assault and two others for attempted malicious assault, before arresting Ketterman was arrested last Monday and releasing him within 24 hours after posting $12,500 bond, according to the West Virginia Magistrate Court system.
Surgery Challenges Leads To Alleged Victim Living With Slightly Crooked Nose
The mother later elaborated on the extent of her son’s injury, saying that her son’s nose “was broken nearer to the top of his brow, making surgery difficult,” according to the complaint.
School officials confirm the injury isn’t life-altering as her son was told “he could play his remaining games if he wears a full face mask, which they had purchased, but said he probably would not because of him being apprehensive of further contact.”
Sounds like the groundworks for a hefty lawsuit.
Officials said the family was advised that surgery on her son’s nose “may be ‘invasive,’ would probably leave scarring and that the family had elected with their son to forego surgery and just live with a slightly crooked nose,’” according to the complaint.
Ketterman’s next court date is scheduled for May 22.