Colville Wrestler Enters Guilty Plea

A former high school wrestler pleaded guilty to fourth-degree assault Monday for knocking a referee unconscious with a head butt after losing a match.

Chad Hildebrandt reversed an earlier innocent plea in Stevens County Juvenile Court. The 17-year-old Colville High senior was prosecuted as a juvenile and is scheduled to be sentenced June 3.

Prosecutors said they would recommend a sentence of a year’s supervision, 100 hours of community service and 30 days of detention.

Prosecutors alleged the boy head-butted referee Bob West after Hildebrandt was pinned by Josh Kelp of Spokane’s West Valley High on Jan. 18 during a 190-pound match here.

After being pinned, Hildebrandt got up and confronted Kelp, prosecutors say. West intervened and penalized Hildebrandt’s team one point.

Hildebrandt then rammed his head against West’s head, and the referee fell backward unconscious, prosecutors said. West regained consciousness a couple of minutes later and reportedly suffered a headache and sore neck.

Colville athletic irector Randy Russell suspended the match with four bouts remaining because West was unable to continue officiating.

Hildebrandt was suspended from the team and from school following the incident, which was videotaped.

West says he still suffers pain and has racked up thousands of dollars in medical expenses.

Hildebrandt was convicted in juvenile court last year of fourth-degree assault in a July attack on Doug Harder of Colville. He was sentenced to six months probation, community service and counseling. He also had to pay $187 in restitution.