This morning’s Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported that one of its photographers was assaulted by University of Hawaii head coach Nick Rolovitch and another UH employee near the end of Saturday’s home game.
According to the S-A:
The assault took place toward the end of last Saturday’s game against San Diego State, according to the photographer, Jamm Aquino. Coach Nick Rolovich charged Aquino, swearing at him, and made contact. The UH employee then shoved Aquino to the ground, he said, leaving him with a concussion, a bloody nose and split lower lip as he fell on his camera, and a sore shoulder. A camera lens also was damaged.
This prompted a reader to submit a comment here, which I’m reprinting below.
In other news, it appears that the UH head football coach and another UH employee committed a felony assault on a veteran Star-Advertiser photographer and possibly others during Saturday’s game.
The UH response so far has been a huge dissappointment, blaming the victim first then begrudgingly regretting that “the situation occurred.”
This is total bullshit.
Facts that, if true, constitute evidence of a felony assault have been publicly alleged. Law enforcement is now obligated to investigate, arrest, and prosecute if the allegations are found credible.
UH should publicly say as much.
If someone had assaulted the coach in a similar manner, that person would have been arrested on the spot. Six days later, there is no public indication that law enforcement has done anything at all.
That’s totally unacceptable.
And at this point it really does not matter whether any apologies were offered or accepted.
It also does not matter much whether the photog improperly accessed the field when he and others believed the game to have been over. Even if completely improper, that act simply does not give the coach the right to physically assault and injure anyone, ever.
UH should swiftly take appropriate action, up to and including termination if supported by the evidence.
This situation warrants close and sustained media scrutiny, and it demands credible leadership by UH and law enforcement.
First, I agree with the reader that the university’s official statement, quoted in the news story, was inappropriate at best, offensive at worst.
Note the lead of the UH statement, which blames the victim.
“We are disappointed that a Star-Advertiser photographer violated sideline protocol by entering the field of play Saturday night.
“Coach Rolovich acknowledges that he came into physical contact with the photographer as he was attempting to clear the field to avoid being penalized because, with two seconds left on the clock, the game was not over.
Saying that the coach “came into physical contact with the photographer” makes it sound as if he ran into him by accident while rushing off the field. That is not what appears to have happened in this case, where the coach allegedly targeted the photographer. And what about the actions of the second university employee who took part in the assault?
If one of the UH players had assaulted a news photographer, causing injuries and property damage, all in public with witnesses, what would Coach Rolovich have done? I seriously doubt that he would have blown off the incident. It’s a very unfortunate situation, but I don’t think the university can look the other way.
What’s your take on this incident?
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The game must have been televised. So there might be video recorded of the incident.
Any word from the newspaper about it?
And aside from criminal charges, there’s also the possibility of a civil suit.
Totally agree, investigate, prosecute, terminate if warranted.
I wasn’t there nor apparently were any of the other commentators. Nick Rolovich is a friend and my next door neighbor. I have known him and his family since they first moved back to Honolulu to coach the UH football team. As a friend and neighbor I think all of us in our Manoa neighborhood have found Nick to be a thoughtful, respectful neighbor who has never evidenced any tendency toward the behavior alleged. And as has been suggested, had such behavior been reported and established by one his players there would have been immediate consequences. Again I was not there. I suggest we all resist the rush to judgement until more facts are known.
A coach making more than $425k per year should f***ing know better.
The photographer was not permitted to come on the field, but chose to do so anyway while the game was still ongoing. This was a critical moment in a division championship game. Coaches were trying to get everyone off the field to avoid a penalty. The photographer didn’t immediately and quickly leave (taking their time walking backwards while continuing to take additional photos doesn’t count.).
Coaches were grabbing and pushing players, staff, off the field. Press wasn’t supposed to even be on the field especially while the game was ongoing. Another UH employee pushed the photographer away from the field and the photographer fell over and sustained injuries from falling on his equipment, not from anyone hitting him.
I’m sure much the same can be said about Jamm…..you are right, none of us were there so it’s amazing how many can draw a conclusion one way or the other with absolute certainty. I’m troubled though by the rush by UH to blame the victim who was injured. Seems like the woman in a short skirt syndrome being harassed at a bar and blamed for being somewhere she shouldn’t have been. UH makes it sound like the SA guy was on the field during live play and trying to make a tackle. Not his first rodeo I’m sure.
I might add, Mr. Aquino acknowledges he has been “shooting” UH Football games for 15 years. If anyone should know when they are permitted on the field and when a game is over, it should be this veteran photographer. And why did the editorial board of the SA refer to Mr. Rolovich as the” UH employee” as opposed to Mr. Rolovich or Coach Rolovich? I’ve been around enough litigation for enough years to recognize “code” when I hear it. Will be interesting to see what other media outlets carry this story and how it is characterized.
“Editorial board”? This was a news story with a staff byline.
“UH employee” referred to a second and unidentified UH employee, not Rolovich.
Less “code” theories, more objectivety and better reading comprehension, please.
Some of these comments certainly demonstrate a tendency to sidestep facts asserted and impulsively defend a popular and prominent community member — and thereby underscore the clear need for a prompt, thorough, impartial, and transparent investigation.
Rolovich is twice the size of Jam Aquino. Sounds like had insufficient security so UH meatheads finished him themselves. No surprise. Every year Coach trains his players to fire 50 caliber military weapons, to kill simulated enemies at Schofield.
I read two versions: 1) roughing up a photographer; 2) paparazzi action.
Probably both scenarios are right.
The photographer should not have been on the field. Coach should’ve kept a better head. How many times have citizens been aware of just this kind of scene. Both wrong. Get on with life.
I respectfully disagree.
The photographer apparently entered the field because he and many others mistakenly believed the game had ended. That belief was quite reasonable under the circumstances. That’s not “paparazzi” action. Not by a long shot.
On the other hand, two state employees appear to have deliberately targeted the photographer and roughed him up on purpose. They may not have intended to cause injury, but that might not matter. A reasonable person, or jury, could certainly find that such conduct was likely to cause injury and that one or both of the state employees are thus culpable for the injuries, in both a criminal and civil sense.
If you block my driveway and I’m late for work, I might really feel like slugging you. But the law does not grant me that right, and if I push you and you fall and sustain an injury because of my action, I would quite likely be held responsible.
So far, it appears that both UH and police, and most media, plan to sweep this incident under the rug if possible.
That would be a serious disservice to everyone.
Those in charge need to take a hard, fair look and let the chips fall where they may. No inherent special treatment for the elite and connected.