Two teen girls were arrested Saturday for allegedly assaulting a Derby Pop Warner football coach.
The coach received scratches to his face and chest. He was treated and released Saturday from Griffin Hospital.
The incident started at about 7:45 p.m. when two girls from Bridgeport — ages 14 and 15 — began arguing with Derby cheerleaders.
The two girls entered a fenced-in area near the sidelines to continue the argument.
At that point, Derby coaches told the girls to leave the area. The girls would not listen, police said.
When the coaches attempted to remove them from the sideline area, the girls started swinging, police said. The video above contains audio from an EMS worker requesting police respond to the scene.
“They became combative and started to hit some of the coaches,” Derby police Lt. Justin Stanko said. “They assaulted at least one of the coaches.”
This happened in front of some 200 parents from Bridgeport and Derby. The game on the field involved 12- and 13-year-old children from Derby and Bridgeport Pop Warner teams.
The spectators began arguing as well, Stanko said.
“The incident picked up. You had people yelling and screaming, so the police were called,” Stanko said.
The following video contains audio from a radio transmission of a second EMS worker asking police to respond to the scene. Article continues below.
In addition to Derby police, three police cars from Shelton were called in, along with two cruisers from Ansonia and a state trooper.
“Mutual aid was called in from Ansonia, Shelton and (state police) Troop I because when you have that many people, the preferred approach is ‘more is better,’” Stanko said.
Police audio from the Derby Police Department:
However, no fist fights broke out among the spectators, police said.
By the time all the officers arrived, the incident was under control.
The two juveniles were charged with third-degree assault, criminal trespass and breach of peace.
The entire incident lasted about 10 to 15 minutes, according to radio dispatches.
Here, a police officer relates that the two young people are in custody:
Derby Pop Warner president Greg Genna called it an unfortunate incident.
“We had two people from a visiting town involved in an incident that required us to call the police and to have them removed,” Genna said.
He said parents and league officials simply want to put the incident behind them.
“I’ve been involved for 10 years and this is the first incident where we’ve had to call the police,” Genna said.
A message seeking comment was left with Pop Warner officials in Bridgeport.