A crazed Mets fan is facing up to a year in prison, a $1,000 fine – and the possibility of being banned from Citi Field for life after he stormed the field on June 1 to join the team in celebration of Johan Santana’s no hitter–the first ever in the Mets 50-year history.
Rafael Diaz, 27, bolted past stadium security to jump in a huddle of Mets players as they congratulated Santana for putting the team in baseball history books.
Fans were shocked to see the No. 8 jersey of legendary Mets catcher, Gary Carter, at the center of the player celebration. Carter passed away in February after a long battle with brain cancer.
Diaz, who is described by friends as a “lunatic Mets fan”, was wearing the replica jersey as he watched – and counted strikes leading to Santana’s historic victory.
Friends who joined Diaz at Citi Field on Friday night watched in disbelief as he jumped for joy with the Mets players – and squeezed through the crowd to give Santana a very personal congratulatory pat on the shoulder.
Security personnel quickly tackled Diaz, pulled him off the field and had him arrested for the stunt.
Diaz was charged with interfering with a sporting event and spent most of June 2 at Queens Central Booking awaiting arraignment, while his family celebrated his son’s first birthday at the family home in Massapequa, L.I.
Diaz, a pilot who works at Republic Airport in Farmingdale, was later released on $1,500 bail.