Wake Forest assistant coach faces assault charge after throwing deadly punch

Jamill Jones was arraigned Thursday night on a misdemeanor assault charge, according to reports.

Aug 10, 2018

Jamill Jones TheGrio — Wake Forest assistant coach Jamill Jones, second from left, with the team and head coach Danny Manning, second from right, in November during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Winston-Salem, N.C. Police say Jones threw a punch that killed a New York City tourist who knocked on his car window thinking it was his Uber ride. He was arrested Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, and charged with assault. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

A promising Wake Forest assistant basketball coach is facing an assault charge after he reportedly punched a drunken tourist who later died in a New York City hospital, the New York Post reports.

Jamill Jones, an assistant to Danny Manning at the ACC basketball program, turned himself in to police after a confrontation with a Florida tourist, Sabor Szabo, turned deadly.

According to reports, Szabo was in a drunken stupor when he started hitting and banging on the hoods of several cars in Long Island City, Queens in New York City. Jones confronted him and ultimately knocked Szabo out with a punch, according to law enforcement sources.

As a result of the powerful blow, Szabo’s head hit the ground and he was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition. However, medical officials haven’t determined whether Jones’ blow is what caused Szabo’s death.

Szabo, 35, was in town for her stepsister’s wedding. He had ordered a cab and was looking to hail it, his family claims, and was on his way back to a hotel to meet his brother.

Jones is shown on video walking away from the scene.

Jones turned himself in to the 114th Precinct stationhouse in Astoria, Queens on Thursday morning along with his lawyer. He was arraigned Thursday night on a misdemeanor assault charge, according to the Post. He pleaded not guilty and was released on his own recognizance.

Jones joined the Wake Forest basketball family as assistant coach in 2017. He also served as an assistant coach at University of Central Florida, Florida Gulf Coast University and Virginia Commonwealth University.

Wake Forest said it is still “gathering information” about the matter.

Szabo’s is from Boca Raton, Florida. The fight happened in New York in contrast to Florida, which has a controversial Stand Your Ground Law. Recently when a white man shot a Black man, Markeis McGlockton, who was protecting his family, he was not arrested, although McGlockton died.

Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum said communities of color are under attack and on Monday urged lawmakers to invoke a State of Emergency in Florida until the Stand Your Ground law is redefined.