Houston television station ABC 13 (KTRK) obtained video showing a fan at Toyota Center punching New Orleans Pelicans assistant coach Joe Boylan in the face after a Rockets home game last Saturday.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office charged 38-year-old Manuel Garcia with misdemeanor assault over the alleged incident.
The Rockets have already banned the fan for life, ESPN reported. With the team now in the middle of a four-game road trip, Houston’s next home game is not until next Wednesday, Nov. 6.
“We will get to the bottom of this and hold them both accountable for their actions,” prosecutor Nathan Beedle told The Associated Press. Beedle would not speculate on a potential motive.
In new comments delivered to ABC 13, Beedle elaborated on what took place in the video, stating:
The Rockets won the game. Then one of the assistant coaches for the New Orleans Pelicans was gathering his things and was essentially cold-cocked or blindsided and struck in the face, brutally in my view.
Garcia, who can be seen in the grainy video wearing a red shirt, was on probation for an unrelated crime at the time of the incident.
“Clearly, we are going to take this extremely seriously,” Beedle told ABC 13. “He is a convicted felon on probation right now charged with a Class A assault of a defenseless person in the case.”
Boylan previously worked as an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors (2011-2014) and Memphis Grizzlies (2015-2018) before taking a job on the staff of Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry prior to the 2018-19 season. This summer, the Pelicans promoted Boylan to director of player development while keeping his assistant coach title.
Aside from Gentry and Boylan, the Pelicans coaching staff includes a pair of former Houston assistants in Chris Finch (associate head coach, offense) and Jeff Bzdelik (associate head coach, defense).
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