Pitcher s trial is Jan. 14 over Mud Hens fight

9/11/2007

Detroit Tigers pitcher Roman Colon, who is accused of assaulting a Toledo Mud Hens teammate in the locker room three months ago, will go to trial on the charge on Jan. 14, a Lucas County Common Pleas Court judge said yesterday.

Judge Gene Zmuda set the trial date after consulting with attorneys. Mr. Colon, 28, who faces up to eight years in prison if convicted, declined to comment after the hearing.

He was playing with the Mud Hens at the time of the incident because he was recovering from neck surgery. He is accused of punching pitcher Jason Karnuth, who apparently was trying to break up an argument between Mr. Colon and other players in the Mud Hens clubhouse at Fifth Third Field on June 12.

Mr. Karnuth suffered multiple facial fractures and missed about two months of the Mud Hens season, which ended Friday night.

Witnesses reported that the incident began with a dispute over loud music on Mr. Colon s iPod before the Mud Hens game that evening. In response to the altercation, Tigers officials created a policy requiring all Tigers minor leaguers to wear headsets if they want to listen to music before or after a game.