A member of the North Penn Knights Boys Lacrosse Team was punched in the helmet on May 14 by an volunteer coach from visiting Methacton School Distric
A Methacton High School lacrosse team coach who made headlines last month after video showed him punching a North Penn player during a match on May 14 has now been charged in connection with the incident.
North Penn Now spoke with Towamencin Police Chief Tim Troxel on Thursday afternoon, who stated that the investigation had concluded and, after consulting with the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, the coach had been charged with one summary count of harassment.
Troxel declined to release the name of the accused due to the harassment charge being a summary citation. However, North Penn Now has independently confirmed that the coach’s identity as 50-year-old Garth Little, of Collegeville.
Court records confirm that Little was charged on June 2 in connection with the incident. Little has not entered a plea to the charge, according to court records.
Troxel acknowledged the public outcry for an assault charge, but stated that a charge of simple assault requires there to be bodily injury, bodily injury caused by a deadly weapon, or fear of imminent serious bodily injury — which is legally defined as “a substantial risk of death or which causes serious, permanent disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment of a bodily member or organ.”
“The student athlete did not claim any injury as a result of the coach’s strike to his helmet,” said Troxel. “The harassment charge has been filed, but has not yet been disposed of in court. I’m not sure what, if any, actions were taken against the coach by the Methacton School District.”
As originally reported by North Penn Now, Little came under fire last month after a video showed him punching a student athlete from North Penn School District following a play that went out of bounds on the Methacton sideline during their match on May 14.
The video begins with a player from North Penn School District wearing jersey number 9 forcing a Methacton player out of bounds. As the two players recover, a nearby North Penn player wearing jersey number 1 walks onto the Methacton sideline, at which point a coach wearing a light-colored t-shirt with his left arm in a sling rushes up to the player and punches him in the facemask of his helmet.
A small scuffle then breaks out between the two teams, which is quickly dispersed. View the video below.
Following the incident, North Penn School District declined to comment, aside from stating that they were working with Methacton School District and providing them with anything needed for their investigation.
When reached for comment after the initial incident, Amanda Kelly — who serves as the Coordinator of School and Community Information at Methacton School District — provided the following statement from Superintendent Dr. David Zerbe:
As Superintendent of the Methacton School District, I want to take this opportunity to apologize to the students, players, families, staff and fans of the Methacton School District and the North Penn School District for the unprofessional behavior displayed by a Methacton volunteer coach during the men’s varsity lacrosse game on Friday, May 14. Please know that the matter has been addressed. The behavior of the Methacton volunteer coach in no manner reflects the values of competitive sportsmanship nor the values of our Methacton School District community.
I further wish the very best for the Methacton School District and the North Penn School District lacrosse programs for the remainder of the season.
A summary harassment charge in Pennsylvania is a non-traffic citation that carries a fine of up to $300 and a maximum sentence of 90 days in jail. Per Title 18, Section 2709 (a)(1) of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, “a person commits the crime of harassment when, with the intent to harass, annoy or alarm another, the person: strikes, shoves, kicks or otherwise subjects the other person to physical contact, or attempts or threatens to do the same.”
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using court records, the affidavit of probable cause and interviews with police.
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VIDEO: Methacton Coach Punches North Penn Student Athlete During Lacrosse Match
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