YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Police are investigating after a football coach was punched Friday night in the locker room of an Ohio high school by a player’s parent.
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Police were called to Cardinal Mooney High School in Youngstown around 10:30 p.m., where a coach told police he had taken a player out of the game and the coach and the player “had some words in reference to that,” WKBN reported.
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The coach, Head Coach Carl Pelini, said he was in his office after the football game when the player’s father entered and allegedly “sucker punched: Pelini in the face, WFMJ reported.
Officers noticed bruising on Pelini’s cheekbone and blood on his chin and Pelini said he believed he suffered possible broken ribs, according to the police report obtained by Mahoning Matters.
Pelini declined treatment by paramedics and said he would drive himself to the hospital. Several witnesses said Pelini was punched and through into a desk by the player’s father, WKBN reported. He ended up on the floor with the player’s father over him and the father continued to hit him.
The football player was present during the fight and was allegedly involved, WFMJ reported.
On Tuesday, the Youngstown Police Department released a statement saying it was aware of, and is actively investigating, the report of the assault, Mahoning Matters reported.
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