Team Suspended, Report Ordered in Soccer Melee

The most serious incident of violence in the recent history of Anaheim’s recreation programs resulted Monday in the suspension of one of the adult soccer teams involved and a request by the city manager for a full report on the incident, which occurred Sunday and left four people hospitalized. Several people in a crowd of about 200 were stabbed during the melee that erupted at a game in a popular soccer league.

By all accounts, the incident, which took place at South Junior High School, involved a persistent heckler, the referee and some unruly fans.

Referee Identified

Police identified the referee as Euzogio Trejo Garduno. Officials said Garduno stopped the match after being harassed by a drunk heckler, who ignored earlier warnings.

Fist fights among players and sometimes spectators are common at athletic events, including the city’s Greater Anaheim Soccer League, which sponsored Sunday’s match, according to Chris Jarvi, Anaheim parks and recreation director.

But “we’ve never had anything as serious as this,” Jarvi said.

City Manager William O. Talley has asked for a report on the incident before today’s City Council meeting.

After an investigation on Monday, David Sommers, a city parks and recreation employee who is the league’s soccer commissioner, suspended Team San Jose from Santa Ana for the remainder of the season. The 40-team league ends play in July.

During the match, Sommers said, the referee was being harassed verbally by the spectator, who was rooting for the Santa Ana team.

“The official called the manager over twice and said to basically ‘take care of your fan.’ We understand that the manager didn’t make any attempt to warn him at all,” Sommers said.

At the time the referee canceled the game, Team Xerxes, from Anaheim was leading, 3 to 2, Jarvi said.

“This rabble-rouser kept interfering with the game until the ref, after several warnings, said, ‘That’s it. We’re canceling the game,’ ” Jarvi said.

Immediately after play stopped, the spectator went onto the playing field and headed for Garduno, Jarvi said. While the heckler and Garduno “had words,” the Anaheim team reportedly surrounded the official to defend him.

“The spectator came over to the referee to voice his objection, and that prompted somebody else from the other team to throw a beer bottle that hit the spectator over the head,” Police Lt. Marc Hedgpeth said.

Stabbing Spurred Fight

A 16-year-old Santa Ana youth then allegedly stabbed the bottle thrower with a knife, and the fight started, Hedgpeth said.

The youth was later arrested, charged with assault with a deadly weapon and taken to Juvenile Hall.

Hedgpeth said that two men were arrested, one of whom is suspected of being the heckler.

“At this time, we’re just not sure which one it was,” Hedgpeth added.

Garduno escaped injury, but four people, including several players, were hospitalized.

Remaining hospitalized Monday at the UCI Medical Center Jail Ward was Jose Luna, 41, of Anaheim, a stabbing victim. He had been arrested Sunday and booked for assault with a deadly weapon

Jesus Vega, 18, of Anaheim was reported in stable condition Monday at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana with a stab wound. Juan Valencia, 18, of Anaheim was in stable condition at UCI Medical Center with two stab wounds.

Police also arrested Telemaco Gonzales, 23, of Santa Ana on charges of assault with a deadly weapon.

Jarvi said the city organized the popular, year-old league after receiving complaints of unauthorized use of school facilities by soccer players.

The city plans to tighten spectator behavior but continue league play, Jarvi said, adding that the city believes that this was “an isolated incident.”

Soccer has become so popular that Anaheim sponsors summer, winter and spring leagues, he said.

Drinking of alcoholic beverages at city-sponsored matches is not allowed, Sommers said. He added that the city provides a referee and a facility manager for each match.

“We think we have a really fine program, but sometimes these incidents happen and they throw a bad light on the program,” Sommers said, adding:

“Part of the problem (is) the spectators, not the players.”