An 18-year-old high school basketball player from West Virginia is facing adult felony charges following an incident during a game where he allegedly elbowed an opponent in the face, resulting in a broken nose. The accused, Gage Ketterman, a student at Harman School, was arrested last Monday for the alleged assault during the game.
The incident came to light after the injured student’s mother reported it to the West Virginia State Police on February 27, hours after the game between Union High School and Harman School. She claimed that her son’s nose was broken by Ketterman’s elbow, causing it to bleed profusely for over four hours, necessitating a hospital visit.
Video footage from the game was reviewed by state police, which supported the mother’s allegations. The video reportedly showed Ketterman striking his elbow directly into the face of an opposing player. The footage also suggested that Ketterman was taunting other players by hitting them on the back of their heads during the game.
In the video, Ketterman was seen wiping something off the elbow he had allegedly used to strike the Union player. The police concluded that Ketterman’s actions appeared to be intentional and criminally malicious.
As Ketterman was 18 at the time of the incident, he will be tried as an adult. He was arrested on one count of malicious assault and two counts of attempted malicious assault. After his arrest, Ketterman was released on the same day after posting a $12,500 bond, as per the West Virginia Magistrate Court system. His next court appearance is scheduled for May 22.