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SALT LAKE CITY — It's sparked big debates: Did the little league coach knock down a 13-year-old football player or not?
New video obtained by KSL shows clearer view of the Utah County, but people who watch it are still seeing different sides.
It happened in an Oct. 6 little league game between seventh-grade teams from Payson and Mapleton. Police are now investigating child abuse charges against Mapleton coach Nathan Harris after he knocked the 13-year-old Payson athlete down, giving him a concussion.
Video provided by the 13-year-old's mother shows the incident from quite a distance away. But the new video, provided by another spectator at the game, shows the incident at closer range.
In the video, you can see the Payson football player running down the field, and it looks like he's pushed toward the sidelines. The Mapleton coach, Nathan Harris, obviously raises his arms and makes contact with the player, but what he does next can be interpreted differently.
Some say the coach steps over the white line and into the field of pay, others say they don't see that. And are we seeing Harris deflect the 13-year-old out of instinct or is he purposely knocking him down?
Both Harris' attorney and a nearby Mapleton assistant coach say the video shows Harris did not step over the line, and that he was protecting his son who was standing next to him.
But an athlete on the other team, who was a few feet away, told KSL News he did see the coach knock down the player.
As for the injured athlete's family, they were not available for comment Thursday night. KSL News has been informed the parents are trying to protect their son and they just want to move on.
