Anyone who has ever been to a New Jersey youth baseball game no doubt understands how tempers can flare if someone thinks the umpire has made a bad call. However, there are rules and regulations in place to keep players, officials, coaches and spectators as safe as possible. A tournament game that was held last month got out of hand when an umpire and a coach in a 13-and-under league disagreed about a call that was made.
The umpire wound up ejecting the coach from the game because he reportedly was using profanity while arguing with the ump about the call. The 72-year-old umpire said that the coach then struck him in the face, causing multiple jaw fractures and a concussion. The 40-year-old coach was ultimately arrested and is now facing assault charges in connection with the incident.
Coach also being sued in civil court
The umpire has filed a civil lawsuit, not only against the coach but also against the team he was coaching, the team’s president. The U.S. Amateur Baseball League is also named as a defendant in the case. The coach faces up to five years in prison for the criminal charges if he is convicted. Maximum fines are $15,000.
Criminal defense attorney can help
If a New Jersey resident is convicted of assault, there’s a lot at stake, including personal freedom. Even if a conviction is obtained, an experienced criminal defense attorney may be able to help a client secure a lighter sentence, as well as mitigate his or her circumstances in other ways. Of course, it is always best to request a meeting with an attorney as soon as an arrest has taken place.