A North Carolina college basketball coach has been found guilty of misdemeanor assault for punching a man who later died as a result of the injuries he sustained from the punch, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Thursday, Feb. 7.
Jamill Jones, a 37-year-old former assistant basketball coach at Wake Forest University, faces up to one year in jail, according to the DA.
On Aug. 5, 2018, around 1:40 a.m., Jones was driving toward a hotel he was staying at in Long Island City, when Sandor Szabo, who was himself staying in a near by hotel, banged on the rear window of Jones’ car, the DA said. The rear window shattered and Jones got out of his car and punched Szabo, 35, in the head, according to Katz.
Szabo was taken to a nearby hospital with cuts on his chin, a skull fracture and other traumatic brain injuries, Katz said. Two days after the fight, on Aug. 7, Szabo died as a result of the injuries sustained in the fight.
“The defendant in this case was in his car parking near his hotel when the victim appeared near the defendant’s vehicle, banged on the back and the rear window may have shattered,” Katz said. “The defendant could have driven away from the scene or call 911. Instead, he retaliated by getting out of his car and punching the victim. This was a death that could have been avoided, sparing the victim’s family the loss of a loved one.”
Jones’ trial lasted a week. He will be sentenced on March 18, 2020, according to the DA.
