The Michigan coach charged with assaulting a referee at a youth basketball game in Paducah on April 6 has seen his charges upgraded to felony assault.
The McCracken County Sheriff’s Office reported that Keyon Menifield, 40, of Flint, Michigan was arrested on the new charge Tuesday morning when he showed up for his court appearance on the misdemeanor charge. Menifield was charged with Second Degree Assault with his bond set at $15,000.
Menifield is charged with knocking Kenny Culp unconscious. Culp was taken to Vanderbilt Medical Center for injuries that included a broken collarbone, concussion, and an eye injury.
The Sheriff’s Office was called to the Sports Plex just outside of Paducah on April 6 to investigate the assault in which Menifield apparently disagreed with a call and punched Culp as he walked away.
Police located Menifield at a Paducah hotel and arrested him on a charge of Assault of a Sports Official, a misdemeanor. The Sheriff’s Office said they met with the McCracken County Commonwealth’s Attorney and secured a felony warrant based in the new medical facts. Second Degree Assault is a Class C Felony that carries a possible prison sentence of 5-10 years.
Culp, who is continuing to recover from his injuries, officiates softball and basketball games in western Kentucky.