High school water polo injury case sparks outrage

An email campaign about reported charges a teen water polo player is facing in connection with breaking another player’s nose during a game drew sharp criticism Wednesday from a Contra Costa County deputy district attorney.

When asked, officials in the district attorney’s office would not confirm that any charges had been filed in connection with the incident, which happened in September.

“What I can tell you is that some things are being reported that are not close to accurate,” said Mary Knox, the senior deputy district attorney in Contra Costa County who oversees most juvenile cases. “As far as specifics of the case, I’m bound by law not to discuss any aspect of it.”

The incident surfaced over the weekend, when an email written by USA Water Polo’s Andrew Morris and distributed by water polo community members Buck Worthing and John Schnugg began circulating.

The email maintained the district attorney’s office filed formal felony assault and battery charges against the player for “inadvertently” breaking an opponents’ nose during a game.

Sources within Contra Costa County’s water polo community said the player is a 15-year-old student at Acalanes High School. A San Francisco Chronicle report said the incident happened during a junior varsity game against San Jose’s Bellarmine College Prep on Sept. 19 and that video captured the incident.

Knox said she couldn’t discuss whether charges were filed. But she did acknowledge the video, saying “it contains much more than what has been reported.” She also acknowledged the email from Morris, the Pacific Zone Chair for USA Water Polo and the person who oversees the sport on the West Coast.

“This all began with that letter, and it’s kind of gone viral,” Knox said. “Now, the people representing the juvenile in this case asked them specifically not to send it. But it was sent anyway.”

USA Water Polo distanced itself from the situation Monday, when CEO Christopher Ramsey said Morris’ email “does not reflect USA Water Polo’s views.” Ramsey said Morris’ views on the incident and the legal proceedings, which he described as “completely outrageous,” should not have been sent out as representative of the organization’s views.

Knox said the case likely will be resolved quickly.