Robert Watts Statement to the Marble Falls Police Department

7/17/2019 Robert Watts Statement to the Marble Falls Police Department

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STATEMENT OF ROBERT WAITS

Place:

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1 Robert Watts, am 32 years of age and my date of birth is February 16, 1983.

I am not under arrest for, nor am I being detained for any criminal offense concerning the events

that I make known to in this Statement. Without being accused of or questioned about any

criminal offenses regarding the facts I am about to state, I volunteer the following information of

my own free will, for whatever purpose it may serve. Nobody has mistreated, threatened, or

forced me in any way to make this statement and nobody gave me anything or promised me

anything to make this statement.

nSeptember 4, 2015, I was part of the crew that officiated a football game between Marble

Falls High School and John Jay High School from San Antonio. The game was played in MadJle

Falls. I drove to the game with other members of th e officiating crew. We met at the home of a

crew member and then drove. We were not in my vehicle and I was not the driver.

We arrived at the stadium in Marble Falls and were escorted to a locker room. Our host showed

us where to eat a pregame meal that they were kind enough to provide for us. After dinner, we

went back to our locker room to get dressed.

We then went out

to

inspect the field and observe team warm-ups. We made our usual runs of

the field. My usual procedure as Umpire is to take the visiting sideline with the Line Judge and

then make our way around the field and end up on the home side. The Referee and I met Marble

Falls' head coach, Matt Green, near where his team w as warming up and introduced ourselves.

We discussed various administrative items with Coach Green, who told us that he would like to

have the coin flip between the coaches prior to the teams going inside and a mock flip for the

players on the field. The procedure was to be the mock coin flip, the National Anthem and then

the kick off.

Shortly after that, we introduced ourselves to Gary Gutierrez, the head coach of John Jay High

School. He w as near the home sidelines close to where his team w as warming up. Coach

Gutierrez told us that his team h d a bus breakdown before they got out of the City of San

Antonio. We asked if he wanted some additional time to warm up and he said that he did not

think he needed that. He expressed appreciation for our offer.

I joked with Coach Gutierrez, saying that because our crew was from the Austin Chapter of the

Texas Association of Sports Officials, we were

all

about customer service to roaches and teams.

He smiled n d laughed, as did we. We hope to have rapport with the coaches whose games we

officiate.

Later pre-game conversations with the two head coaches included the following: We had a short

conference with Coach Green in which we discussed some pretty routine pregame matters.

During that conference, I can recall asking him for the name of his center. I recall it being

Daniel. We then went back over to Coach Gutierrez and reintroduced ourselves and went over



some of the same administrative matters that we had just discussed with Coach Green. I can

recall Coach Gutierrez saying that his center's name was Dylan, among other things. We made

sure that Coach Gutierrez was aware that Coach Green wanted the coin flip between the coaches

prior to the game. Coach Gutierrez agreed and then the Referee, Coach Gutierrez and I walked

over to where Coach Green was and took care of the coin flip. Marble fails won the coin flip and

elected to receive. Coach Gutierrez chose to have his team kick toward the clock. Both teams

began leaving the field and the officiating crew headed back to its dressing room.

We spent some time in the dressing room. Our observer, Larry Hartgrove, arrived and we visited

with him for a time. I can recall brushing my teeth before we went onto the field again.

My position on kickoffs is opposite the pressbox, which usually means on the visitors' side of

the field, on the kicking team's restraining line. On the opening kickoff, I recall Coach Gutierrez

saying that he was going to tell the San Antonio TASO Chapter what I had said about the Austin

Chapter being all about customer service and he laughed. I joked with him, saying that I didn't

mean that the San Antonio Chapter w s not all about service, but that the Austin Chapter makes

it a point to go above and beyond. Again, this is all part of an effort to build a rapport with the

coaches.

We started the game and I recall Coach Gutierrez standing behind me for most kickoffs when

either team kicked off.

During the first half, I recall that I assigned only one penalty. twas a holding call on Marble

Falls left tackle, 77. This occurred OB play 18. After throwing the flag, t told 77 for Marble

Falls that not only did he hold, but also that he should not lie on top of the opponent once they

are both on the ground. During

the

rest of the first half, I recall having no problems from either

side's linemen. Particularly after big pile up plays, I would tell the players that it w s over, to

ease up, to roll over, to use the ground to get up, and things of that nature. Maintaining a close

presence allowed the players to know that we were on top of things after the play and not to do

anything unbecoming to themselves or their team.

At halftime, we went to our locker room. We discussed various things, including the subject of

overtime since the score was 9-7 at the half. I can recall members of the crew saying that the

secondary was getting chippy. I said that it was too <badbecause the linemen appeared to be on

their best behavior. I mentioned throwing my flag on 77 earlier in the game and noticing that

there had been no other issues since then. Our observer, Larry Hartgrove, was inside the locker

room at the half and I asked him if he had anything to tell us. He specifically mentioned that I

was doing good, dead ball officiating. understood him to mean that I was showing a good

presence once things wrapped up and being vocal to players when I needed to be to let them

know that we were watching their actions at all times. After that, we went back out to the field

and stood between the two teams as they were warming up to maintain order, as was our

customary practice. We waited to get back on the field while one of the bands finished its

halftime performance.

We started the second half with things going well. About the middle of the third quarter, John

Jay players began committing some fouls that were penalized by other members of the crew.



O n play 134, from the A3S Quarterback 11 for John Jay High School, kept the ball and ran up

the middle of the field for a gain of 3 yards. John Jay 11 and Marble Falls 66 engaged with

each other as the play was over. My primary keys are the legality of the snap, the center, two

guards and whichever offensive tackle the Referee is not watching. Once the play develops, I

work my progression from the keys. Since I was the closest official once the play is over, John

Jay 11 looked

at

me as if I should have penalized 66 for touching him. I 1 for John Jay then

shoved the ban at me forcefully, hitting me in the solar plexus. This was painful and I grunted

in response. I then spotted the bail, but walked over to 11 and told him that if he did that again

he would be out of the game. Earlier in the game, he

had

already been assessed an

unsportsmanlike conduct foul by the Referee for disparaging language toward an official. This

meant that one more unsportsmanlike and he would automatically be ejected. John Jay 11 said,

What did you say to me? I responded by telling him again that if he Shoved the ball at me like

that again he would be out of the game. He waved his hand at me as though to brush me off.

I told both John Jay 12 and 7 that they were disqualified from the game. I walked over to the

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Later, something happened on play 137.

t

involved John Jay 11, who played Quarterback on

offense and who was then also playing safety OD defense for his team. During the play, he put

his hand on my back and pushed me forward and out of the way for no apparent reason. After the

play, he walked back to his position, but came close to me and smirked.

On play 142, John Jay 11 was still on defense and he and Marble Falls 2 engaged in contact

throughout the play. he Back Judge and I both threw flags. John Jay 11 committed an

unsportsmanlike act during the dead ball period following the play: Shoving the opponent's head

downward via his hand on the face mask. This was his second unsportsmanlike foul. As such,

this player was disqualified by rule. We also assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on

Marble Falls 2 for pushing/shoving/striking - this was his first unsportsmanlike feul. Those

fouls offset and we lined up for the next play. That was when I was hit two times from behind.

On the play where I was hit, Marble Falls was running the bali in the middle of the field about 8

yards away from me. The play ended about 1 yard behind the line of scrimmage. I looked at the

game video and observed that I was hit from behind two times by two John Jay players wearing

12 and 81. John Jay 12 hit me first and John Jay 81 hit me second. It is consistent with my

memory that I was hit two times.

My position as the Umpire is in the defensive back field, 7 or 8 yards in front of the ball. The

initial blow to my body was to my left middle back, left arm and left side. I was knocked to the

ground and hit my head on the ground. I was then hit from behind a second time, which forced

my head into the ground again. I could feel the hit on my back and right side of my body.

I stood up and threw my flag, knowing that neither hit could be by accident. My first comment

was to John Jay 12. I asked him, Why did you hit me? He started to walk away and did not

speak. I said to John Jay 12, Did you hit me on purpose? Again, he did not respond. I then

turned to John Jay 7, believing that he had hit me. I asked John Jay 7 why he had hit me. His

response was, You were in the way. He then laughed. Video evidence later revealed that the

play ended with 7 near me but that 81 was the player who hit me a second time.



John Jay sideline and told Coach Gutierrez with the Head Linesmen nearby that if anyof the

officials were touched again the game would be over. Coach Gutierrez said that 1should do what

I needed to do, but also said that he had three players saying that 1 had called them fucking

niggers. old Coach Gutierrez that had not done that. While this was going on, there was a

John Jay assistant coach, whom ow know

to be

Mack Breed,

standing

behind Coach Gutierrez

yelling profanities and gesturing angrily at me and also at the other officials.

We lined up for the next play and time was almost out. Marble Falls had the ball. The

quarterback took the snap and went down on one

kne e

While he was down on one knee, John

Jay 81

ran

up and pushed him over. He was assessed with

a

late hit/piling on penalty. Marble

Falls' quarterback took the snap on the subsequent play and immediately kneeled again. Time

ran out.

I went over to Coach Gutierrez and told

him

that I needed the names of his players 7, 11 and

12. He told me that he did not know their names. He said that he had forgotten them. He wanted

to know what my name was. old

him

that had introduced myself twice prior to the game and

that we had given

him

our names on a card prior to the game.

Police Officer Talamantes escorted us off the field. Police Officer, Tim Mcintyre came to our

dressing room and sked him about making a complaint against the two players that had hit me

from behind.

n

the locker room noticed a patch of

turf

burn on my forehead, a cut next to my right eye, and

a large red bruise abrasion ommy left arm all of which were painful. My left knee was in pain.

M y neck and back were in immense pain. I was dizzy immediately after the hit and the whole

time in the locker room after the game.

After we had taken showers, we drove back to the home of one of 'the other officials where we

had met up for the drive to the game. During the drive to his house, started feeling nauseated.

However, drove myself from his house home. elt dizzy during the drive. got home around

midnight.

On Saturday, September 5, 2015, I had headaches, nausea and felt dizzy. On Sunday, September

6,2015, I went to Austin Emergency Center, 5363 Far West Boulevard, Suite 110, Austin, Texas

78731. I saw a doctor there named Easty. They administered x-rays and CT scans. I was

complaining about headaches, nausea, vertigo, neck, back, knee pain, and tunnel vision. I was

there for several hours. They told me I had fractures, prescribed Zofran and 800 mg Motrin

and told me that I should follow up with a neurologist. Dr. Easty diagnosed me with a

concussion.

During the next few days, my symptoms continued. I tried to work, but got little done. I recall

having some short term memory loss, feeling feverish, having hot flashes and sweating. My left

knee ached.

M y

left ear rang for a time. By Thursday, September 10, 2015, the nausea was

really bad. I had been having a hard time finding a neurologist that could get me in quickly.

However, I was ultimately referred to Dr. Christine Johnson at U.T. Southwestern Medical

Ce n t e r inD a lla s I w e n t to D r J oh nso n o n F rid ay ~ ep te m be r 1 1 2 01 5

D r

Johnson W

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bad a concussion and also told me that I had post concussion syndrome and anxiety disorder due

to my medical condition. Among other things, Dr. Johnson recommended that I get rehabilitation

services for people with concussions, neurological and brain injuries.

In addition to the aforementioned to medical treatment, I have also seen a chiropractor

in

Austin

named

r

Ron Burnett.

Both of the hits that I took from behind were painful to receive and it was also painful when I

struck the field both times. Since then, I have had continual headaches, chest pain and sensitivity

to light, and the other symptoms as described above which have also been painful. My symptoms

are continuing at this time and I do not know what will happen ultimately.

Since the night of September 4, 20 IS, I have learned that players and possibly coaches from John

Jay High School, among others, have said that during the game, I used racial slurs and insults

against John Jay High School players. I did not do that.

I can read, write, and understand

the

English language. I have not intended for this statement to

conclude every last thing that was said or that happened on the night of September 4, 2015.

However, it gives a general description of the events of that evening as concerns the two hits that

John Jay High School players made on me. I have read this statement, consisting of __ pages,

each of which bears my signature. The statements made herein are true, correct and from my

own personal knowledge.

Robert Watts

K:\232\23219\STATEMENT OF ROBERT WATTS 09.23.15.wpd

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Robert Watts Statement to the Marble Falls Police Department

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