The killing of Chauncey Hardy
Here is our story on Chauncey Hardy, who was killed while playing pro basketball in Romania:
A day after Chauncey Hardy was attacked and killed at a bar in Romania, friends and family reflected on the former Xavier High and Sacred Heart University basketball star.
Hardy, 23, playing professionally for CSS Giurgiu in southern Romania, was severely beaten and died shortly after surgery Sunday in Bucharest.
Middletown’s Amari Spievey and Hardy were cousins. The two grew up playing and excelling at sports together, Spievey in football, Hardy in basketball.
Spievey, now a safety with the Detroit Lions, called his cousin “a happy, easy-going, talented, gifted person”.
“I never heard him raise his voice,” Spievey told the Middletown Press on Monday. “He taught me to let things go. Chauncey didn’t bother anyone. He had no enemies.”
A man was arrested Monday in the killing of Hardy, who prosecutors say was punched in the face by the boyfriend of a woman Hardy was with in a bar.
Ionut Adrian Tanasoaia surrendered to police and will be in custody for 29 days while he awaits trial. He is accused of beating up Hardy in a bar in the southern Romanian city of Giurgiu on Saturday night.
Hardy sustained severe head injuries and was in a coma when admitted to the hospital in Giurgiu, where he was celebrating a victory over rival Dinamo Bucharest.
Hardy was punched after he playfully put his cap on a woman’s head, prosecutors said. They added that the woman’s boyfriend objected to the gesture, and Hardy tried to show he didn’t understand Romanian. Tanasoaia then allegedly punched Hardy on the chin and he fell to the ground.
A preliminary autopsy revealed a massive hemorrhage and broken skull. Giurgiu county hospital spokeswoman Elisabeta Bene said Monday that doctors initially suspected Hardy was in a coma because he had been drinking. She said his condition deteriorated a few hours later and he was transferred to a hospital in Bucharest, 38 miles from Giurgiu.
“We are concerned by the violent circumstances surrounding the death of this U.S. citizen, and will pay close attention as the investigation progresses,” the public diplomacy department of the U.S. Embassy said in an email to The Associated Press.
Romania’s health ministry Monday ordered an inquiry to determine whether emergency procedures had been followed.
Hardy, who arrived in Romania in August, was a Register All-State selection at Xavier and went on to play guard at Sacred Heart from 2006 to 2010. He averaged 12.5 points in his last season.
“We feel tremendous sadness and loss for Chauncey’s family and those who were close to him,” Sacred Heart basketball coach Dave Bike said.
Spievey, who was limited in practice this week and didn’t play in Monday night’s game against the Bears with a hamstring injury, played on many of the same teams as Hardy growing up and was in awe of his ability as an athlete.
“I always felt he was gifted, that he was more athletic than me,” Spievey said. “When we played tag as kids I could never catch him. He was an amazing athlete. It was effortless. I owe so much to him because I learned so much from him.”
A day after Chauncey Hardy was attacked and killed at a bar in Romania, friends and family reflected on the former Xavier High and Sacred Heart University basketball star.
Hardy, 23, playing professionally for CSS Giurgiu in southern Romania, was severely beaten and died shortly after surgery Sunday in Bucharest.
Middletown’s Amari Spievey and Hardy were cousins. The two grew up playing and excelling at sports together, Spievey in football, Hardy in basketball.
Spievey, now a safety with the Detroit Lions, called his cousin “a happy, easy-going, talented, gifted person”.
“I never heard him raise his voice,” Spievey told the Middletown Press on Monday. “He taught me to let things go. Chauncey didn’t bother anyone. He had no enemies.”
A man was arrested Monday in the killing of Hardy, who prosecutors say was punched in the face by the boyfriend of a woman Hardy was with in a bar.
Ionut Adrian Tanasoaia surrendered to police and will be in custody for 29 days while he awaits trial. He is accused of beating up Hardy in a bar in the southern Romanian city of Giurgiu on Saturday night.
Hardy sustained severe head injuries and was in a coma when admitted to the hospital in Giurgiu, where he was celebrating a victory over rival Dinamo Bucharest.
Hardy was punched after he playfully put his cap on a woman’s head, prosecutors said. They added that the woman’s boyfriend objected to the gesture, and Hardy tried to show he didn’t understand Romanian. Tanasoaia then allegedly punched Hardy on the chin and he fell to the ground.
A preliminary autopsy revealed a massive hemorrhage and broken skull. Giurgiu county hospital spokeswoman Elisabeta Bene said Monday that doctors initially suspected Hardy was in a coma because he had been drinking. She said his condition deteriorated a few hours later and he was transferred to a hospital in Bucharest, 38 miles from Giurgiu.
“We are concerned by the violent circumstances surrounding the death of this U.S. citizen, and will pay close attention as the investigation progresses,” the public diplomacy department of the U.S. Embassy said in an email to The Associated Press.
Romania’s health ministry Monday ordered an inquiry to determine whether emergency procedures had been followed.
Hardy, who arrived in Romania in August, was a Register All-State selection at Xavier and went on to play guard at Sacred Heart from 2006 to 2010. He averaged 12.5 points in his last season.
“We feel tremendous sadness and loss for Chauncey’s family and those who were close to him,” Sacred Heart basketball coach Dave Bike said.
Spievey, who was limited in practice this week and didn’t play in Monday night’s game against the Bears with a hamstring injury, played on many of the same teams as Hardy growing up and was in awe of his ability as an athlete.
“I always felt he was gifted, that he was more athletic than me,” Spievey said. “When we played tag as kids I could never catch him. He was an amazing athlete. It was effortless. I owe so much to him because I learned so much from him.”
Labels: Chauncey Hardy
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