(McCracken County Jail Booking Photo of Kenyon Menifield)
A Michigan man was arrested and charged with assaulting a referee at an AAU basketball game in Paducah Saturday that left the official with serious injuries.
The McCracken County Sheriff’s Office said their deputies responded to the Sports Plex just outside of Paducah Saturday night around 10:42. An investigation determined that during a disagreement between a coach and a referee, the coach, identified as Kenyon Menifield, 40, of Flint, Michigan, punched the referee as he turned to walk away. The referee, identified as Kenny Culp, was knocked unconscious.
A friend of Culp’s said on social media that Culp suffered a broken collarbone, a concussion, bleeding on the brain, and an eye injury. He was taken to Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville for treatment of his injuries.
Police say Menifield fled the area prior to their arrival but was located at a hotel and arrested. Menifield was charged with First Degree Assault of a Sports Official, which is a Class A Misdemeanor. However, due to the nature of Culp’s injuries, prosecutors could upgrade Menifield’s charge to Second Degree Assault because the assault caused serious physical injury. Second Degree Assault is a Class C Felony.
Menifield was lodged in the McCracken County Jail.
Culp, of Paducah, has officiated high school basketball, softball, and baseball games in the First and Second Region and has officiated games at Heritage Christian Academy.
