Video shows 3rd, 4th-grade girls' basketball coach allegedly plowing car into man after argument amid postgame handshakes
A Connecticut girls' basketball coach was caught on video allegedly plowing into a man he had just argued with following a game, according to police. The alleged hostilities erupted when the two teams were shaking hands immediately following the contest. What's more, the Stamford Advocate reported that the coach is a felon and reportedly has left his coaching position in the wake of the incident.Video shows the vehicle appearing to accelerate and smash into the man, who is flung upon the car's hood before tumbling to the ground. According to Connecticut State Police, officers responded to an incident at the Horace Porter School in Columbia at 11:23 a.m. Saturday.Witnesses and the alleged victim reportedly informed police that a visiting girls' youth basketball coach intentionally drove into a person following an argument stemming from the game between third- and fourth-grade girls.Columbia First Selectman Steven Everett told the Stamford Advocate that the argument came about as a result of a misunderstanding between opposing players during their postgame handshakes. "It is a little bit baffling," Everett added. "I think there is a lot of fault to go around."State police released surveillance video showing a man running toward a white sedan in the school's parking lot. The car accelerates to get away from the man. The man is seen on surveillance video walking over to the exit road apparently to cut off the vehicle. The man stands in the middle of the road with the sedan advancing toward him.The video shows the vehicle hitting the man, who is flung upon the car's hood before tumbling to the ground. A child is seen rushing to the man as a woman chases after the white sedan. Connecticut State Troopers said the man was transported to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.The driver reportedly called police following the incident to inform them he had stopped at an area business to wait to speak to law enforcement. Police identified the driver as 29-year-old Bryan Baez-Rivera.Police said in a statement, "Baez-Rivera reported that as he was leaving the parking lot, this individual began chasing him on foot. Baez-Rivera reported that this individual walked in front of his path of travel, and that he was not able to avoid a collision."Baez-Rivera told investigators he left the scene of the incident because "multiple people then began to chase after his vehicle, and he left the property out of concern for his own safety as well as his passengers, which included minor children."Baez-Rivera also told police he was coaching a girls' basketball game and "became involved in a verbal altercation" with an individual following the recreational youth league contest.WTNH-TV reported that the alleged victim is a parent of one of the players in the basketball game. Police obtained the surveillance video from the school and determined that the "victim did in fact approach Baez-Rivera's path of travel, however Baez-Rivera appeared to make no attempt to avoid striking the victim."Baez-Rivera was arrested. He was charged with two counts of risk of injury to a minor, second-degree breach of peace, second-degree assault, and second-degree reckless endangerment.Baez-Rivera was later released from custody on a $5,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear at Rockville Superior Court on Jan. 23. The Department of Children and Families is investigating the case.Anything else?The Advocate, citing an official, said the coach in question has left his coaching position, and the paper — citing state judicial records — said Baez-Rivera is a felon, which "raises the question of how he got the volunteer job."More from the Advocate:Before Saturday, Baez-Rivera’s most recent arrest was on Dec. 30, when Willimantic police charged him with breach of peace. On Oct. 6, he was charged in Willimantic with breach of peace and third-degree assault in connection with a Sept. 22 incident. Records show Baez-Rivera has not entered a plea to those charges, which are misdemeanors. According to electronic records of convictions — which only date back 10 years — Baez-Rivera has five convictions in state Superior Court in Danielson.The paper said neither the Windham town manager nor the director of Windham Parks & Recreation could be reached Tuesday to confirm whether background checks are done on coaches.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
A Connecticut girls' basketball coach was caught on video allegedly plowing into a man he had just argued with following a game, according to police. The alleged hostilities erupted when the two teams were shaking hands immediately following the contest.
What's more, the Stamford Advocate reported that the coach is a felon and reportedly has left his coaching position in the wake of the incident.
Video shows the vehicle appearing to accelerate and smash into the man, who is flung upon the car's hood before tumbling to the ground.
According to Connecticut State Police, officers responded to an incident at the Horace Porter School in Columbia at 11:23 a.m. Saturday.
Witnesses and the alleged victim reportedly informed police that a visiting girls' youth basketball coach intentionally drove into a person following an argument stemming from the game between third- and fourth-grade girls.
Columbia First Selectman Steven Everett told the Stamford Advocate that the argument came about as a result of a misunderstanding between opposing players during their postgame handshakes.
"It is a little bit baffling," Everett added. "I think there is a lot of fault to go around."
State police released surveillance video showing a man running toward a white sedan in the school's parking lot. The car accelerates to get away from the man.
The man is seen on surveillance video walking over to the exit road apparently to cut off the vehicle. The man stands in the middle of the road with the sedan advancing toward him.
The video shows the vehicle hitting the man, who is flung upon the car's hood before tumbling to the ground.
A child is seen rushing to the man as a woman chases after the white sedan.
Connecticut State Troopers said the man was transported to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver reportedly called police following the incident to inform them he had stopped at an area business to wait to speak to law enforcement.
Police identified the driver as 29-year-old Bryan Baez-Rivera.
Police said in a statement, "Baez-Rivera reported that as he was leaving the parking lot, this individual began chasing him on foot. Baez-Rivera reported that this individual walked in front of his path of travel, and that he was not able to avoid a collision."
Baez-Rivera told investigators he left the scene of the incident because "multiple people then began to chase after his vehicle, and he left the property out of concern for his own safety as well as his passengers, which included minor children."
Baez-Rivera also told police he was coaching a girls' basketball game and "became involved in a verbal altercation" with an individual following the recreational youth league contest.
WTNH-TV reported that the alleged victim is a parent of one of the players in the basketball game.
Police obtained the surveillance video from the school and determined that the "victim did in fact approach Baez-Rivera's path of travel, however Baez-Rivera appeared to make no attempt to avoid striking the victim."
Baez-Rivera was arrested. He was charged with two counts of risk of injury to a minor, second-degree breach of peace, second-degree assault, and second-degree reckless endangerment.
Baez-Rivera was later released from custody on a $5,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear at Rockville Superior Court on Jan. 23. The Department of Children and Families is investigating the case.
Anything else?
The Advocate, citing an official, said the coach in question has left his coaching position, and the paper — citing state judicial records — said Baez-Rivera is a felon, which "raises the question of how he got the volunteer job."
More from the Advocate:
Before Saturday, Baez-Rivera’s most recent arrest was on Dec. 30, when Willimantic police charged him with breach of peace. On Oct. 6, he was charged in Willimantic with breach of peace and third-degree assault in connection with a Sept. 22 incident. Records show Baez-Rivera has not entered a plea to those charges, which are misdemeanors.
According to electronic records of convictions — which only date back 10 years — Baez-Rivera has five convictions in state Superior Court in Danielson.
The paper said neither the Windham town manager nor the director of Windham Parks & Recreation could be reached Tuesday to confirm whether background checks are done on coaches.
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