Video: McGraw fan tells his side of the story

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KENT, Wash. - A construction worker who tangled with Tim McGraw on stage Tuesday night at the White River Amphitheatre is trying to set the record straight about what happened.

Marcus Nirschl was singled out by McGraw, who believed he saw the fan attack a woman. The story was picked up by national media outlets.

But Nirschl says in the chaos of the crowd he simply tripped over a chair and lunged to grab his cowboy hat.

"All I can think of is I got pushed and my hand went sideways or something like that," Nirschl said. "I did not intentionally grab no lady."

Moments later, McGraw and a few stagehands pulled the 290-pound man onto the stage.

"I thought he was trying to pull me up on stage to have a good time for a couple seconds and then get back off or something," Nirschl said.

Once on stage, Nirschl says adrenaline took over. He turned toward his country music idol, and things went south.

"Well I just thought I was gonna go high-five him, next thing I know there he is - full fledged back ready to punch me," Nirschl said. "I'm like, now he wants to punch me in the face! What the heck did I do wrong?"

Photo by KENDRA KEHOE

A KING 5 viewer captured this photo of Tim McGraw pulling Nirschl on stage at a June 24 concert in Auburn.

Nirschl is a union construction worker with no criminal history, and a single dad raising a 3-year old daughter.

He was thrown out of the concert, and after seeing the story on the national news, he wanted to tell his side of the story.

"My mother was at the concert with me. Why am I gonna be hitting women?" he said.

Nirschl also claims Tim McGraw called him personally Thursday. McGraw's publicist would not comment on the matter.

Nirschl says he is considering legal action.