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
The saga of a volunteer lacrosse coach with Methacton School District who was captured on video punching a North Penn student athlete during a match in May has come to an end.
The coach, identified as 50-year-old Garth Little, of Collegeville, entered a guilty plea to one summary count of harassment last week. Court records indicate that Little received a fine of $189.30 as a result of his plea.
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.
View the video below:
Following the incident, Methacton Superintendent Dr. David Zerbe issued an apology to students, players, families and staff of both Methacton and North Penn school districts for what he deemed to be “unprofessional behavior” exhibited by Little. Zerbe said the matter “has been addressed,” but the statement did not specify if Little had been removed from the team.
Though many called for Little to face a misdemeanor simple assault charge, Towamencin Police Chief Timothy Troxel 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, adding that Little was instead charged with one count of summary harassment.
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.”
See also:
Lacrosse Coach Accused Of Punching North Penn Student Athlete Identified, Charged With Harassment
VIDEO: Methacton Coach Punches North Penn Student Athlete During Lacrosse Match
Harleysville Man Pleads Guilty To Sexually Assaulting, Harassing Teen Girls At Sleepover
Father Who Assaulted Child While Police Were Outside Home Sentenced To Probation
Horsham Man Pleads Guilty To Distributing Child Pornography, Receives Jail Sentence
