Fresno-area junior college district investigating video of Lake Tahoe beach brawl
The State Center Community College District is investigating a viral video that shows two men — reportedly both athletics employees of the district — involved in a physical alternation on a Lake Tahoe beach.
According to an Instagram video uploaded May 31, the altercation unfolded at Zephyr Cove, on the Nevada side of the popular tourist destination. The video appears to show Madera Community College athletic director Jesse White and Fresno City College athletic director Derrick Johnson.
In the video, one man is on top of another man, Johnson, who is prone on the beach. White straddles Johnson and can be heard cursing at him while holding him down.
A couple of bystanders attempt to get White off of Johnson. At one point, White tosses Johnson’s sunglasses off his face and asks what he’s going to do.
White eventually gets off of Johnson and picks up a nearby backpack-style cooler. Johnson tells White to give him the cooler, and White responds by punching Johnson.
The pair resume scuffling on the ground before White picks up the cooler again before the video ends.
As of Wednesday, the Instagram video has gotten more than 17,000 likes and been shared more than 10,000 times.
SCCCD spokesperson Jill Wagner confirmed the district’s investigation of the video but did not provide any additional details.
White and Johnson didn’t respond to The Bee’s requests for comment.
Messages sent to the Instagram user who uploaded the video, as well as another man who identified himself as being in the video, went unread.
People chimed in to share their thoughts in the comment section of the video.
“Disappointing with these educators. They are expected to be leaders and represent their college and be role models for their student athletes. The question is, how will their administration handle this,” one person wrote on Wednesday.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office wasn’t able to confirm whether deputies responded to any reports of a disturbance at the scene on May 31.
The annual California Community College Athletic Directors Association convention was held in South Lake Tahoe on June 1–4.
SCCCD is based in Fresno and oversees Fresno City College and Madera Community College, along with Reedley College, Clovis Community College and Madera Community College at Oakhurst.
