The 50-year-old father of a player on a flag football team for 6- to 8-year-olds was charged for simple assault and disorderly conduct this week after he allegedly attacked the 16-year-old coach of the team, NJ.com reported.
Witnesses to the incident say Peter Iappelli put the teenage coach in a headlock and yelled expletives at him after the coach swapped out his son, who plays quarterback, with another player during a game on Saturday at Westwood Middle School in Westwood, N.J.
“What looked like a handshake turned into a bear hug that turned into a chokehold,” Fred Kritzer, commissioner of the North Jersey NFL Flag Football league, told NJ.com.
[Verbal abuse from parents, coaches is causing a referee shortage in youth sports]
Westwood Police Detective Warren Morrell later described Iappelli as “irate,” and confirmed “there was a scuffle” to CBS New York. Eventually, according to the news station, parents had to “pry [Iappelli] away” from the young coach, who is the son of Westwood Councilman Robert Bicocchi.
The incident shocked players and parents in attendance, according to Kritzer, who immediately made the decision to ban Iappelli and his family from the league.
“He’s got nobody else to pick on. He’s gonna pick on the kid? That’s absurd,” Westwood parent Mel Digiacomo told CBS New York.
The young coach ended up going to the hospital because of the incident, which left him with neck pain. While there, however, police reportedly fielded dozens of emails and phone calls from witnesses to the scuffle, but it wasn’t until Monday that Bicocchi decided to press charges, according to the reports.
The charges came despite a written apology sent to Bicocchi, the league and the victim, according to NorthJersey.com, which obtained a copy of an email sent to Kritzer.
“I want to apologize for my unacceptable behavior at today’s game,” Iappelli wrote. “You run an unbelievable program and you don’t need people like me ruining it.”
Iappelli continued: “I won’t attend any additional games, nor will I watch any practices. I am truly sorry and I regret how I behaved today.”
According to CBS New York, Iappelli, who works as a school administrator for Closter Public Schools, turned himself into police on Wednesday. His arraignment is set for Oct. 20.
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