OLIVER SPRINGS MAN SENTENCED FOR ASSAULTING BASKETBALL REFEREE
Jerry Crass, a 54-year-old man from Oliver Springs, Tennessee, was sentenced for assault after attacking a referee during a basketball event at Grace Christian Academy in April 2025. Court records indicate that Crass, upset over a referee’s call, was ejected from the game, after which he put the referee in a headlock and took him to the ground.
He also allegedly pushed a woman, believed to be his wife, who attempted to intervene. Officers identified Crass using video footage from witnesses. He was granted judicial diversion with an 11-month-29-day sentence, meaning he avoids jail time but faces the penalty if he incurs another charge during this period.
The incident occurred during a tournament hosted at Grace Christian Academy’s gym, which was rented out and not affiliated with the school or Grace Baptist Church. Crass was charged with assault with threat of bodily injury and arraigned on April 8, 2025.
