High School Football

Father Allegedly Punches Paramedic Treating Son's Injury at Football Game

A high school football player from Leicester, Massachusetts, injured his knee at a game in West Boylston, and his father, Punaloa Matavao, is accused of punching a paramedic in the face

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The father of a Massachusetts high school football player is accused of punching the paramedic who was treating his injured son.

The incident happened Friday night at Leicester's game in West Boylston. A Leicester player hurt his knee.

Police say Punaloa Matavao, that player's father, repeatedly grabbed the arm of a paramedic treating his son.

The paramedic asked him to stop grabbing his arm, telling him to back up and let go.

"The father didn't care for the way the paramedic was treating his son," said West Boylston Police Sgt. James Bartlett. "He kept on grabbing the paramedic, and finally, the father assaulted the paramedic, punching him in the face."

When officers caught up with Matavao, they said he was visibly upset, at one point threatening violence.

"He didn't think the paramedic was taking the injury serious enough, and he just said he was really, really mad about that, and it was his son," Bartlett said. "Very emotional, and that's why he got very upset and punched the paramedic."

NBC10 Boston tried to talk to Matavao at his home, but no one answered the door.

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