A youth baseball umpire at The Colony Five Star Complex in Texas was violently slammed to the ground by an enraged coach after calling a runner safe at home plate.
Robbie Johnson coaching the Texas Phenoms from Abilene, Texas allegedly disputed multiple calls during Saturday's game before violently confronting the umpire, Sam Phelps from Denton.
Police spokesperson Rick De La Cruz told Huffington Post that The Colony police waited to sign an arrest warrant for the coach on a charge of misdemeanor assault to cause bodily injury.
You can watch the incident in this clip obtained by Fox 4 News.
Last night, we spoke to an umpire from Denton, TX who said he\u2019s pressing charges against a boy\u2019s baseball coach after he was assaulted on Saturday.\n\nThis morning, @FOX4 obtained video of the incident.\n\nThe umpire was released from the hospital and is at home recovering.\n\n@FOX4pic.twitter.com/fUN5cAjE0q— Peyton Yager (@Peyton Yager) 1649786118
The umpire, Phelps, said he was still reeling from the assault while on the job–which he had been doing for 15 years.
"As the game went on, he didn’t like what happened. I didn’t know what was coming," he said of the coach while talking to Fox 4 News.
Phelps recalled after calling the runner safe after a sliding play, the coach emerged from the dugout and words were exchanged.
"I ejected him, and I held up my hand and said, ‘We aren’t doing this, coach,’" said Phelps.
"And then he held up his hand to mock me saying, ‘Oh, we aren’t doing this.’ And then he shoved me right in the face, and I fell backwards and hit my head."
"And I was down for a while."
FULL STORY @FOX4 Denton umpire pressing charges against baseball coach he says attacked himhttps://fox4news.com/news/denton-umpire-pressing-charges-against-baseball-coach-he-says-attacked-him\u00a0\u2026— Peyton Yager (@Peyton Yager) 1649788521
Ryan Walke, who was watching his 10-year-old son playing in the neighboring field at the complex, witnessed the confrontation that resulted in the umpire being carried him the field on a stretcher.
Walke recalled:
"He was on the ground for 10 to 15 minutes. The ambulance came out there. Put him on a stretcher. Scary times."
LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL calm the f down!— Fernando (@Fernando) 1649803136
We r certainly giving our kids some horrible public lessons on conflict resolutionhttps://twitter.com/peytonyager/status/1513938828242960384?s=20&t=2QJ5gcD56b5_o_v53SuF3g\u00a0\u2026— K (@K) 1649814231
Walke said he attempted to prevent the coach from leaving after the altercation by following him to the parking lot but was unsuccessful after the coach got into his car and drove off.
Said Walke:
"First thing is first. He is the coach of the team. He needs to stay and apologize to the players."
"Not be able to leave. That was our biggest thing."
Hours later, Phelps was released from the hospital where he was scanned for a concussion. He decided to press assault charges and filed a report with The Colony police.
Phelps declared:
"If there are no consequences, this can continue."
You have to punish people for violent behavior. \n\nThe let bygones is NOT the way to handle this\n\nKids need to know wrongful violent actions has consequences— JoeinDC \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddf1\ud83c\uddf9 \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udf78 (@JoeinDC \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddf1\ud83c\uddf9 \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\ud83c\udf78) 1649820430
Hope ump is ok. Glad he\u2019s pressing charges. He\u2019s helping others. There needs to be negative consequences or this won\u2019t stop. Sad.— Donna (@Donna) 1649807931
Violence has consequences— jpz729 (@jpz729) 1649923679
Violence is getting out of control in sports. Especially at this level. It needs to stop, or take the bleachers out. And ban family participation. Because Violence especially in front of the children should and MUST result in a punishment of Supervised visitation with minors DONE— J. L. Martinez (@J. L. Martinez) 1649941553
"I don’t want to destroy anyone’s life," Phelp emphasized.
"But I would like this to be a learning opportunity to get this out there."
L’Erin Hampton, whose 24 Sports organization ran the competition, told the media outlet:
“The worst thing was the kids having to see this.”
Ban the coach. Don't ban the players they had nothing to do with coaches action.— Philip_McMullen (@Philip_McMullen) 1649934523
this behavior around the kids is awful \u2026 this person should NEVER coach again .. by the way the umpire made the right call the kid was SAFE!!!— Edgar Echev (@Edgar Echev) 1649962094
This is what we mean when we say violence is an unacceptable reaction to a verbal situation especially in front of an audience- it\u2019s not right at a ballgame\u2026 or the Oscar\u2019s.— Layla Benson (@Layla Benson) 1649829572
So sad we can't go to kids gave without acting crazy parents be parents they don't need us being friends @reggieneal300— Fitzgerald & Associates(also know as 734 Records) (@Fitzgerald & Associates(also know as 734 Records)) 1649891910
Hampton said the Abilene team was not banned from the 24 Sports competitions but he said they would have to compete under new leadership in order to play again in the future.
The coach is banned from participating in further tournaments.
When contacted by Fox 4 News, the coach admitted he was wrong and said he hopes to one day apologize to Phelps in person and shake his hand.
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