From time to time, referees can get hurt during the action of a football game, but this case is extremely obscure. On Saturday, a referee was standing on the sidelines during a Maine Maritime Academy game and was hit directly in the face by a cannon blast.
According to USA Today, the referee was immediately rushed to the hospital, but the injuries were considered to be non-life threatening. The official can be clearly seen grabbing his head in the back of the end zone and falling to the ground as the blast goes off. Fellow officials and trainers can be seen flocking to the referee's side to check on his condition.
Here's video of the incident:
According to the Hancock County Sheriff's Office, an investigation will take place in order to determine if there will be any punishment for the individual responsible for shooting off the cannon.
According to the Sheriff's Office, a Maine Maritime Academy alum brought his own cannon to the homecoming game and proceeded to load it with black powder. The school normally uses cannons, but they are loaded with blank shotgun shells and are utilized after the home team scores. However, in this incident, a "wad" was placed inside the cannon and that's what struck the official.
Once the investigation is complete, the results will be sent to the District Attorney's Office, who will decide how to handle the situation going forward.
Maine Maritime Academy, a Division III program, lost the homecoming contest to Massachusetts Maritime Academy, 42-21.
