Reserve deputy injured by Ravens player remains in trauma ICU
Erie County NY December 15 2019 A reserve deputy with the Erie County Sheriff’s Office who was struck on the sideline Sunday by a player during the Bills game is in the trauma intensive care unit at Erie County Medical Center, five days later, sheriff’s officials said.
If that sounds familiar, it should. It’s not the first time a member of the stadium security detail was injured on the job by a player, and it’s something that has happened at other football stadiums.
The reserve deputy was identified as Jason Macken, 46, who is in his third season working at the stadium, according to Scott Patronik, chief of special operations for the sheriff’s office.
Macken was on the sideline, looking toward the crowd, when Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith knocked down Cole Beasley in the end zone, continued off the field with his arm out and hit Macken, according to video footage of the incident. Macken can be seen slamming into a wall.
Macken had surgery as a result of injuries he suffered, Patronik said.
There are 165 reserve deputies who serve in various capacities, including stadium security. Patronik said they generally are retired law enforcement officers, work for other departments or – as in Macken’s case – are peace officers.
In 2005, a security guard at the stadium was injured in a collision with Bills receiver Lee Evans.
William D. Austin of Wheatfield, a former Niagara County corrections officer, was hurt with 8:16 remaining in the third quarter of a Nov. 13 game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Austin, as he was instructed, was standing beyond the end zone at the tunnel end of the field with his back to the play, scanning the stands for signs of possible trouble.
Evans stretched to catch a 29-yard touchdown pass from quarterback J.P. Losman, tumbled out of the end zone and crashed into Austin.
The News reported that Austin had suffered a high ankle sprain, but court papers filed by Austin’s lawyer later revealed that Austin had to undergo surgery for a right knee injury. The lawyer, Andrew D. Fleming of Hamburg, said in a lawsuit against the Bills that Austin suffered a permanent injury.
Such risks to those providing security on the field are not limited to New Era Field.
In October 2018, walls behind the end zones at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., were blamed for creating a dangerous situation in which a security guard was hurt by Miami Dolphins wide receiver Kenny Stills.
Stills caught a 5-yard touchdown pass in the back corner of the end zone against the Lions, but he then collided with the security guard after he was pushed, causing her to land hard on her right arm, SBNation reported.
The previous month, a security guard in Indianapolis was taken off the field on a stretcher after a player collided with him following a punt.
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