Waikiki police said they have some possible suspects in the assault of two men's volleyball players from Lewis University of Illinois earlier this week. Police seek attackers
of visiting athletesBy Rod Antone
rantone@starbulletin.comThe attack left Lewis reserve player Matt Mueller with a fractured bone on the right side of his face and Greg Pochopien with a concussion.
"It was a kind of random act of violence," said Lewis coach Dave Deuser as he left Straub Hospital yesterday, where both players were taken for treatment. Deuser said while Mueller might be able to play in tonight's match-up against the University of Hawaii, Pochopien was still delirious.
"He was repeating himself a lot and asking the same two questions over and over again. He'll ask you, 'What time is it?' and 30 seconds later he'll ask you again."
Deuser said the attack occurred just before midnight, after the team's dinner and meeting, and both Mueller and Pochopien were just two blocks from their Lewers Street hotel. According to Deuser, the incident started after an unidentified man started an argument with a Lewis baseball player, who had come with the volleyball team to Hawaii.
Deuser said Mueller, Pochopien and another team member, Kevin Miller, were watching the argument take place when five or four other guys came from behind and "blindsided" the group.
"It's almost like it was a setup," Deuser said. "This guy tried to pick a fight, start something and got their attention focused in front of them, and then these other five guys came from behind them."
Police said while they have some idea of who the suspects might be, they have not positively identified anyone and so no arrests have been made.
"They don't remember anything," Deuser said. "Totally unprovoked. There was no motive, no nothing. They didn't try to steal anything from the guys."