A North Texas high school athlete is facing an assault charge after allegedly attacking an opponent during a water polo match in April.
Police said 17-year-old Flower Mound Marcus athlete Chase Dion was arrested and charged with assaulting a St. Mark's player during a match on April 15 at the Keller natatorium.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Dion was arrested on April 25 and charged with assault causing bodily injury, a Class A misdemeanor. According to the document, Dion struck an opponent in the face with a closed fist multiple times and held the victim underwater.
Get top local stories in DFW delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter.
Citing a video shared with them, the Dallas Morning News reported the alleged assailant grabbed the victim and began striking him moments after he scored the game-winning goal in the game's final seconds. Other players swam over, but there was no further conflict and the victim was able to swim away on his own.
"It should be noted that even though the assault occurs in the middle of a sporting event, it was not a part of the event itself, and based on video surveillance, Chase intentionally targets the juvenile victim," police said in the document.
Following the incident, the St. Mark's player was treated at a nearby hospital for a left eye corneal abrasion, according to the police report.
Sports Connection
Connecting you to your favorite North Texas sports teams as well as sports news around the globe.
Dion was arrested four days later and released on a $2,500 bond.
According to the paper, Dion is the son of Marcus head swim and water polo coach Bradon Dion and did not participate in any other matches during the season including the 2022 state water polo tournament in May.
The DMN reported water polo will become a UIL sport next year and that currently it's overseen by the Texas Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association. It's unclear if Dion will be allowed to compete in the future.
