Robinson X-C runner hopes to return to training following egging incident

Posted May 29, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated May 29, 2012 at 10:31 PM

Robinson cross country coach Mark Altimari says he hopes junior runner Noah Grant can return to training next week after having the orbital bone in his eye fractured by someone hurling an egg at him Sunday.

‘‘It’s a pretty serious injury and he could’ve lost the eye,’’ Altimari said. ‘‘He’s a trooper though. He wants to get back out there running as soon as possible but he needs to rest right now.’‘

Altimari said Grant was doing a training run Sunday night with four of his teammates, including his twin brother, Nicholas, on Bayshore Blvd. As the group headed back on the sidewalk of Bayshore, someone in an SUV threw an egg at them near Bay-to-Bay Blvd., not far from the “Slinky” sculpture on Bayshore, Altimari said. The egg struck Noah in the right eye.

Noah was eventually taken to Memorial Hospital, where it was discovered the orbital bone was fractured. Thanks to a tip about teens purchasing eggs at a Wal-Mart on Gandy, Tampa police made arrests Monday of 17-year-old Daniel Cole Borgeson, and 16-year-olds Patrick Daniel Wasp and Tyler Metzger. All three were charged with felony battery and were taken to juvenile detention.

Altimari, who is a Tampa police officer, said one of the teens attends Robinson and the other two attend Jesuit. He says he is going to make it his “mission” to see the teens brought to justice for the incident.

‘‘Anyone who thinks this is a practical joke gone awry is mistaken,’’ Altimari said. ‘‘It was completely random that Noah was the victim but this was a premeditated act. They bought the eggs and were out to hurt someone.’‘

Thrown with force from a moving vehicle on Bayshore Blvd., where the speed limit is 40 mph, Altimari says the egg could have been travelling close to 50 mph when it struck Grant in the eye.

‘‘An egg is not a soft object. In fact, it’s extremely difficult to crack if you try to break it while holding it from top to bottom. When you throw something that hard from a car going that fast, it can cause serious injury. And in this case, it did.’‘

Altimari said Noah Grant was one of his top junior varsity runners last season and this fall expects him and his brother to be among the scoring five of his varsity. He said both Grants are “outstanding young men.’‘

“They’re what most cross country runners are—smart, respectful and hard workers,’’ Altimari said. ‘‘It’s just not right for this sort of thing to happen to any of them.’’