Colin Byrd, a 17-year-old football player for Platte County R-3 High School, has been charged with misdemeanor assault for an incident that took place during an Oct. 18 game against Winnetonka High School.
Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd filed the charges after Byrd allegedly ripped off another player’s helmet as both players fell out of bounds. Byrd then hit the player in the head giving him a concussion. The player has missed school for four weeks because of the injury.
According to a probable cause statement, an official at the game said Byrd and J.R. were headed out of bounds on a kickoff return, and that once out of bounds, Byrd twisted J.R.’s helmet off and intentionally struck him in the head with it. Byrd was ejected from the game. Byrd claims that the “helmet ended up in my hand and I just went back to throw it behind me and ended up hitting him.”
Byrd is not in custody, but faces probation or up to a year in jail.
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