CSUN Clears Security Official of Provoking Bozeman : Basketball: Athletic Director Hiegert says he will write to counterpart at Cal regarding coach’s ‘inappropriate actions.’

Cal State Northridge Athletic Director Bob Hiegert said Tuesday that an in-house investigation has determined that events manager Howard Garcia did not provoke an attack by California basketball Coach Todd Bozeman during a game at Northridge on Sunday.

After reviewing videotape of the incident and interviewing Garcia and other security personnel, Hiegert said he would write a letter to Cal Athletic Director John Kasser “regarding the inappropriate actions of Cal’s coach.”

Bozeman, 31, Cal’s third-year coach, jabbed at Garcia after a heated exchange behind the Cal bench midway through the second half of a game won by Cal, 76-65.

Garcia, who supervises security during events at the Northridge Gym, said he was trying to assure Bozeman that the area behind Cal’s bench was secure after the coach traded verbal volleys with some Northridge fans.

When Bozeman and assistant coach Kurtis Townsend continued to complain, Garcia said, he told Bozeman, “Coach, you just coach your basketball team, and I’ll take care of security.”

The tape showed Bozeman gesturing at Garcia four times during their conversation. When Garcia pointed back, the Cal coach slapped at his fingers, then lunged forward with his right hand, grazing Garcia on the side of the head.

After the game, Bozeman denied striking Garcia.

In a statement Monday, Kasser deemed Bozeman’s actions as “inappropriate,” but added, “When he told me what words were directed at him by the staff person in question, his emotional reaction was understandable.

“There are certain trigger words that cause that type of reaction and unfortunately one was directed at him.”

Garcia denies insulting or cursing Bozeman.

Bozeman has not publicly revealed what Garcia said to him. He declined to comment on the incident Tuesday during a routine conference call with the media.

Hiegert said Kasser’s interpretation of what happened was “inaccurate.”

“We were going to let Cal handle the whole situation, but this ‘trigger word’ business is a slant we hadn’t heard before and, from what I’ve been told here, there’s no truth to it,” Hiegert said.

Two Northridge administrators and two members of the security staff who were on scene indicated during interviews that Garcia was attempting to calm the Cal coaches, Hiegert said.

The videotape shows Garcia, with the Cal coaches, pointing to security personnel stationed at both ends of the Cal bench.

“No one heard any alleged trigger words,” Hiegert said. “The only profanity people heard was from Townsend and Bozeman.”

Garcia said he would wait until Cal officials had a chance to respond to Hiegert’s letter before determining whether he might press criminal charges.

“What they do with (Bozeman) is their business,” Hiegert said. “What Howard does personally is his business.”

Sunday’s game brought to a conclusion a three-game contract between the schools. The first two were played in Berkeley.