Titan Gymnast Rodriguez Suspended Indefinitely After Stabbing Incident

Eli Rodriguez, the Cal State Fullerton gymnast arrested Wednesday on suspicion of stabbing a former teammate, has been suspended indefinitely from the school’s gymnastics team, Athletic Director Ed Carroll said Thursday.

But Rodriguez, free on $10,000 bail, watched in street clothes as the gymnastics team worked out Thursday. He said the stabbing was “an accident” and that Steve Ciccarelli had run at him as Rodriguez held a kitchen knife to defend himself.

Rodriguez was booked on suspicion of aggravated assault after allegedly stabbing Ciccarelli at a Fullerton apartment shortly after midnight Wednesday, Fullerton police said.

Ciccarelli, a 22-year-old senior who was on the gymnastics team last year, underwent abdominal surgery Wednesday at UCI Medical Center and was in good condition Thursday in the intensive care unit. He was unavailable for comment, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Rodriguez said he and Ciccarelli had been drinking with five others at the apartment of a Fullerton woman gymnast when Ciccarelli, a former roommate, became angered, cursed, spit, and hit him.

“I wasn’t fighting with him,” Rodriguez said. “He hit me. I still didn’t do anything to him. I tried to avoid conflict as much as possible.”

Ciccarelli claimed Rodriguez owed him money, said Terry Carmicheal ), a Fullerton gymnast who was at the party and who said he is friends with both Rodriguez and Ciccarelli. Rodriguez said he did not owe him money.

Carmicheal, who is 5-feet 3-inches, said he and another man restrained Ciccarelli, who is 5-10, but he broke away and followed Rodriguez into the kitchen.

“He was running at Eli sideways,” Carmicheal said. “I had my eyes on Eli the whole time. I saw Eli grab the knife. . . . It happened to be sitting there by the sink. He did not approach Steve in any way, and Steve ran into him. Eli was up against the wall and didn’t move.”

Said Rodriguez: “I feel hurt. I feel bad that it had to happen. I feel like everybody is looking at me like a criminal. I know different.”