41-year-old Milwaukee father has been cited for disorderly conduct after walking onto a youth football field in Mount Pleasant and tripping a 9-year-old player mid-run. Prosecutors say the act will not be charged as child abuse because the boy was not hurt.
The incident happened Saturday, August 22, during a 10-and-under Brew City League game between the Case Eagles and the Milwaukee Colts at Case High School. Police say the man, a parent on the visiting Colts sideline, became upset over a play, entered the field, and stuck out his leg as the Eagles player ran by. Both went down. Follow-up with the boy’s family confirmed he was not injured.
Mount Pleasant police were dispatched at about 10:54 a.m. on a report that a man had kicked a child. By the time officers arrived, both parties had left. Another parent followed the man’s vehicle, and police stopped him a short distance later. In body-camera video obtained by TMJ4, he admitted going onto the field and said he acted on impulse. “There was just some bigger kids than mine and I got impulsive,” he told an officer, adding that he had already apologized to the team and coach. Police said he was cooperative, acknowledged he was wrong, was cited for disorderly conduct, and was released.
Authorities later reviewed the case under Wisconsin’s physical-abuse-of-a-child statute. The department said the elements were not met because there was no bodily harm. The Racine County District Attorney’s Office was consulted and agreed the disorderly conduct citation was the appropriate charge. The name of the parent is not being released because he has not been criminally charged.
League officials had already banned the parent and fined the Colts. Case Eagles coach Channing Schultz, who was away when it happened, has called the act cowardly and said the teams are scheduled to play again in two weeks. He wants stronger accountability so his players feel safe on the field.
