SF soccer referee coldcocked by player he penalized

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An adult-league soccer referee is recovering from serious injuries after a player he had penalized sucker-punched him, breaking his jaw and causing a traumatic brain injury in San Francisco’s Ocean View neighborhood Sunday morning, authorities said.

Officers responded to reports of the assault around 10 a.m. on the 600 block of Capitol Avenue near the fields behind the Minnie and Lovie Ward Recreation Center, said Officer Albie Esparza, a police spokesman.

Witnesses told police that the 33-year-old victim was refereeing the match when he issued a yellow card to the offending player. Words were exchanged, Esparza said, and a second yellow card was issued, followed by a red card and an ejection from the game.

The player, who was not identified, apparently disagreed with the call because he ran up behind the ref and coldcocked him before fleeing in a white Chevrolet Silverado.

The punch knocked the referee out, broke his jaw, loosened some teeth and caused a traumatic brain injury, Esparza said. An update on the victim’s condition was not immediately available Monday, but his injuries were not thought to be life-threatening.

Esparza said the referee knew the player who punched him.

The assailant was described as 6 feet 2 inches tall, 20 to 25 years old with black or brown hair. He was wearing a green and white soccer jersey at the time of the assault.

Esparza encouraged anyone with information about the incident to call investigators at (415) 575-4444.

Kale Williams is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kwilliams@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfkale