What happened is pretty clear to me.
Kromer heard some kids playing on the beach at night and went out because he was concerned for their safety. He found three drunk, 285 lb lineman having sex with each other and smashing his favorite beach chairs. He politely told them to stop, when they went berserk. They threw their fishing poles into the water and charged him in a steroid induced rage. He raised his hand to his face to protect against a head butt attempt by one of the "kids" and the lineman struck his hand with his eye. He then tripped over the leg of one of the chairs. Terrified, Kromer and his son retreated back to his home, telling the kids that he was going to "tell their family and call the police", which they mis-heard as "kill their families if they called the police."
Couldn't be clearer.