Lawsuit: Lone Star coach's squats punishment sent student to hospital

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Lone Star College student is fighting back after he says a coach forced a punishment on him that was so severe, he was hospitalized for more than a week.

Among his elective courses is a physical conditioning and sports class.

On October 21, according to the lawsuit now filed, Alvarado was 15 minutes late to class. The course instructor, the document claims, told Alvarado that he would have been marked absent if he had arrived 5 minutes later.

Then, the suit alleges, the student was ordered to do "squats' for 35 minutes. At one point, according to the document, Alvarado asked to take a water break and was refused.

Alvarado left class sore, and later started showing signs of a condition called rhabdomyolysis, in which muscles are so damaged they release more protein and acid than the body can handle. That in turn can affect both the liver and the kidneys.

Three days later, he was admitted to the hospital and remained there for nine days. He was released, but requires monitoring and testing for his liver and kidneys.

"He wanted to go to college, to a place where he would be treated with respect," said Michael Martinez, who represents the now-former Lone Star Student.

The student's hospital stay forced him to drop out, after paying tuition and buying books.

The college would not comment on the lawsuit because it's under litigation.