NYPD: College Basketball Coach Arrested In Deadly Attack On Tourist
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) – A Wake Forest University assistant basketball coach has been charged in the death of a Florida man killed while visiting New York City for a wedding.
Jamill Jones, 35, of Kernerville, North Carolina, was arrested Thursday and charged with third-degree assault.
"The Jones family sends their deepest condolences and sympathies to the Szabo family. We won't be making any further comments," Jones's attorney said after his arraignment.
Police said 35-year-old Sandor Szabo was punched in the face Sunday on 29th Street near 41st Avenue in Long Island City, Queens. The blow was so hard, Szabo fell backwards, hitting his head on the concrete.
His family said the marketing professional was leaving the hotel where his brother was staying and called for a car to go back to his own hotel. The family believes he was knocking on car windows to check on his ride when he knocked on the suspect's window.
The man exited a white SUV and punched Szabo, leaving him bleeding on the ground, police said. He was placed on life support and later died.
On Wednesday, the family sent a statement to CBS2 that read in part:
(Sandor's) family and friends are overwhelmed, but not surprised, by the outpouring of love and support from the many people whose lives he touched; he did not know a stranger. He was kind, giving, loving and enjoyed life to the fullest. He will be missed but there is comfort knowing he will live on in the many lives he will save through organ donation with "Live On NY".
Wake Forest University tweeted a statement Thursday, saying, "We have just been made aware of this matter and we are gathering information. We will make a further statement after we learn more about the matter."
Jones, a Philadelphia native, joined the Demon Deacons staff in May 2017 after coaching at Central Florida, Virginia Commonwealth and Florida Gulf Coast and playing at Arkansas Tech and North Platte Community College in Nebraska.
Head coach Danny Manning said at the time that Jones was a "well-respected bright mind" in the coaching world and brought "new blood" and "new perspectives" to Wake Forest.
It's unclear why Jones was in New York City over the weekend. Sources tell CBS2 he turned himself in to police Thursday morning.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
