After School Fight Leaves One in Jail, One in Hospital

17-Year-Old Arrested on Aggravated Assault Charge

By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter

PALESTINE – An after school fight between teammates on the Palestine Wildcats football team sent one to the hospital with a broken jaw and the other to jail on a second degree felony.

On Thursday, afternoon, Sept. 28, 17-year-old Le’George Marquez Gray was arrested and transported to the Anderson County Jail where he was booked into custody on a charge of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury.

Nate Smith, the Communications and Best Practices Officer for the City of Palestine, reported the assault happened after football practice on Wednesday, Sept. 27.

Smith also confirmed the assault victim was an 18-year-old senior who was taken to Children’s Medical Center in Dallas for treatment of his injuries.

A statement on the incident has been released by the Palestine Independent School District.

The statement reads as follows: “Two Palestine High School students were involved in an altercation late Wednesday afternoon one of the students received significant injuries. Palestine High School and Palestine High School Athletic Department are investigating the situation and will make disciplinary decisions based on our student code of conduct and athletic handbook. A school resource officer in conjunction with the Palestine police department made an arrest Thursday afternoon. Any criminal decisions will be made independently and separately from Palestine ISD.”

The offense of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury is considered a second degree felony. According to Section 12.33 of the Texas Penal Code, “An individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the second degree shall be punished by imprisonment in the institutional division for any term of not more than 20 years or less than two years. In addition to imprisonment, an individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the second degree may be punished by a fine not to exceed $10,000.”

Will Johnson may be reached via e-mail at [email protected].