A Florida man has been accused of punching a National Football League star bar during the early morning hours of June 20. The 29-year-old Sarasota resident faces a misdemeanor count of simple assault in connection with the alleged fracas, which took place in Aberdeen, S.D. According to Brown County prosecutors, the man was released on a personal recognizance bond after being processed. He is scheduled to appear in court again on July 10.
The man was taken into custody shortly after officers from the Aberdeen Police Department arrived at a bar on Main Street at approximately 1:07 a.m. They were dispatched to the scene after emergency operators received reports of an assault. An eyewitness is said to have told police that Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert was subjected to disrespectful comments from the man and another individual while drinking with a group of friends. Video footage of the incident allegedly shows the man punching Goedert in the face. While the video evidence doesn’t reveal what occurred in the moments before the punch was thrown, police believe that Goedert was struck when he approached the two men to ask them to behave more appropriately.
Officers at the scene determined that Goedert was knocked out by the punch. However, they quickly determined that he had not been seriously injured. This is why prosecutors decided to charge the man with simple rather than aggravated assault.
Attorneys with criminal law experience may seek to resolve cases like this one with a plea agreement. When given a set of facts like these, lawyers could argue that a lenient sentence is warranted because all of the parties involved had been drinking, tensions were running high and the victim suffered no serious injuries. Attorneys could also point out that the defendant chose to face the consequences of his actions rather than fleeing the scene.
