Youth Softball Coach Allegedly Clocks Chief Umpire

[Editor's Note: This story was originally posted in July 2011 and has been updated to remove the names of the individuals arrested as the charges have been dropped.]

Written by Craig Donofrio

Police reports say that the coach of the Ridgefield Rebels, a New Canaan resident, and his wife, also of New Canaan, were ejected from a youth softball game that took place at softball field.

As the two were leaving, police said that the chief umpire, who was clad in regular shorts and a t-shirt, advised the two to leave because they were allegedly swearing at the umpire who had ejected them. The coach's wife allegedly “displayed her middle finger toward” the chief umpire, according to the report.

After that, the coach stepped up to the chief umpire, and yelled at him directly in his face, spraying spittle, according to report.

"As the chief umpire pushed him away, [the coach] punched him in the jaw," the report says. A witness then called police.

The couple said that because of the chief umpire’s clothing, they had no idea who he was, according to the police report. The chief umpire did not report being injured. The married couple was charged with breach of peace and given a promise to appear in court, according to police. The coach has contributed to Patch as a freelancer.