Staten Island youth baseball coach charged with attacking elderly umpire

A Staten Island youth baseball coach has been charged with attacking an aged umpire throughout a sport in New Jersey, leaving the person with a damaged jaw and a concussion, prosecutors stated.

Jerry Otero, who was teaching third base for the Staten Island-based New York Prospects journey staff, surrendered to Branchburg Township police Tuesday in connection to the June 4 in-game assault, in response to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Workplace.

Otero, 40, allegedly punched the 72-year-old ump after being ejected for utilizing foul language throughout a 13-and-under match sport hosted by the US Novice Baseball League.

Otero, who has been completely banned by USABL, was charged with third-degree aggravated assault and fourth-degree assault at a youth sports activities occasion. He was taken into custody on the Somerset County Jail pending a detention listening to, prosecutors stated.

The accused coach was requested to assist out through the match and is a father of a participant on the New York Prospects, USABL officers instructed The Put up.

Otero was ejected from the sport by the umpire for “aggressively arguing a name” whereas shouting expletives, UASBL president Brian Schifilliti stated.

“He then proceeded to punch the umpire within the face, fracturing his jaw in 2 locations and giving him a concussion,” Schifilliti wrote in an e mail. “This occurred in entrance of each groups of a 13-year-old youngsters, their households watching the sport, match website hosts and bystanders from different groups additionally collaborating within the match on the advanced.”

The battered ump’s jaw needed to be wired shut after the assault. He needs to stay nameless, however intends to get again out on the sector this fall, Schifilliti stated.

Whereas the league is pleased to “see justice served,” Schifilliti stated violence has no place on the ballpark.

“Dad and mom and coaches arguing with umpires at youth baseball video games is unacceptable,” he stated. “Individuals see MLB coaches storming the sector, kicking dust on house plate and throwing a match within the umpire’s face in order that they suppose they’re entitled to behave the identical means at a 13-year-old baseball sport when the fact is that if they acted like this in a restaurant or grocery store they’d be arrested.”

Makes an attempt to achieve the New York Prospects, who’ve additionally been banned from future USABL video games, had been unsuccessful Wednesday.

A person who recognized himself as Otero declined to deal with the allegations when reached Wednesday by The Put up.

“I can’t speak concerning the state of affairs,” he stated. “I’m sorry.”