Posted on 09/07/2006 7:42:57 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
STOCKTON
An assistant youth football coach who rushed onto the field and tackled a boy on the opposing team was charged with misdemeanor child abuse on Thursday and had a bench warrant issued for his arrest after he showed up late for his arraignment.
Cory Petero was initially arrested on a felony charge, but prosecutors decided to pursue a less serious misdemeanor charge because the youth wasn't seriously injured and Petero doesn't have a prior criminal record, Deputy District Attorney Xapuri Villapudua said.
"The injuries to the child were very minor," said Villapudua, noting that the boy suffered sore ribs and a sore hand from the tackle that sparked a stand-clearing brawl on Saturday.
San Joaquin Superior Court Judge Clark Sueyres was less forgiving when Petero and his defense lawyer arrived six minutes late for the arraignment. By that time, the judge already had issued a warrant revoking the $50,000 bail Petero posted over the weekend.
"I think the judge was uncomfortable with all the cameras in the courtroom and got rid of the case," said Petero's lawyer, Preciliano Martinez, referring to the extensive media coverage the incident has generated.
Martinez said he and his client were late for court because he was waiting for someone to bring him his appointment calendar and did not realize Judge Sueyres had called the case. Petero did not have to go back to jail as a result of the warrant, Martinez said.
If convicted of misdemeanor child abuse, Petero faces a maximum sentence of a year in jail and four years probation. He plans to plead not guilty during his rescheduled arraignment on Friday, according to Martinez.
Witnesses at Saturday's game between the Riveroak Redskins and the Stockton Bears said Petero attacked the 13-year-old player for making a late hit on Petero's 11-year-old son. The tackle was caught on videotape and has been replayed on television news programs coast-to-coast.
Martinez said what the tape does not show is that earlier in the same game, Petero's older son had his spleen ruptured from a series of rough plays the referees did not correct. The younger boy had his ribs cracked during the late hit, Martinez alleged, adding he would present other evidence to prove Petero acted appropriately.
"This father said he wanted to get his kids out of there," Martinez said. "As a parent, you make that call. You don't make it as a sports fan."
Officials with the Delta Youth Football League voted Wednesday night to ban Petero from ever coaching in the league or attending its games. Witnesses at Saturday's game between the Riveroak Redskins and the Stockton Bears said Petero attacked the 13-year-old player for making a late hit on Petero's son.
The father/coach screwed up, it was a definite late hit on his son, however.
What about the claim that his other son got a ruptured spleen by a late hit from the same kid?
If this is true, what was the father (coach) still doing at the game? Wasn't his older son taken to the hospital?
I hasn't heard that piece until now about the older son and his spleen 'til now.... Lucky the mOther didn't go out on the field instead.
The charge of "child abuse" is absurd. Assault, or battery, yes.....but not child abuse.
"The father said he wanted to get his kids out of there"
If the father wanted to get his kids out of there, why did he get his kids out of there? I would hope that after my child ruptured his spleen, I'd care enough to take both children out rather then wait until another injury took place. Father seems to have not only a problem with rational thinking and anger management, he appears to have a problem with his ego.
Forget the jail time, sentence the tough guy to a five minute sticking session with Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher.
I'm a football mom and I have to agree!!
There are some very agressive little NFL wannabe's on most teams and they are cocky little shits! Push their weight around constantly.
The one who should be ridiculed though is the coach from the opposing team. He should have pulled the ruffian off the field and benched him for unbecoming behavior, thus the father wouldn't have HAD to take matters into how own hands(although he went way over the line)
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