Florida football coach charged with hitting referee in the face

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – A central Florida high school football coach is accused of hitting a referee after a disputed call, and he faces a battery charge.

The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said Monday that 36-year-old Leo Davis was arrested over the weekend.

Deputies say the referee was working a sophomore league game at Liberty High School in Kissimmee when he made a controversial call. Parents and coaches began arguing on the field, and officials say Davis hit the referee in the face before leaving the field.

The referee suffered minor injuries.

Davis told deputies he was trying to separate people fighting when he pushed the referee accidentally.

Deputies say video disputes that account.

Davis was being held on $1,000 bond at the Osceola County Jail. It wasn’t clear whether he’d hired a lawyer to contact for comment.

This story was originally published October 5, 2015 at 11:01 AM with the headline "Florida football coach charged with hitting referee in the face."