Youth baseball coach broke Branchburg umpire’s jaw, charged with assault: police
BRANCHBURG – A youth baseball coach is facing assault charges after allegedly punching a 72-year-old umpire, leaving him with a broken jaw and a concussion, at a 13U game here earlier this month.
Jerry Otero, 40, of Staten Island, turned himself in to township police Tuesday morning and was charged with third-degree aggravated assault and fourth-degree assault at a youth sports event, Acting Somerset County Prosecutor Annmarie Taggart said.
Otero was lodged in the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing.
Branchburg police were dispatched around 8:08 p.m. June 4 to White Oak Park on a report of an umpire assaulted, according to Taggart. When officers arrived, bystanders reported the suspect had left the park.
Officers spoke with the umpire, who was bleeding from his mouth, Taggart said. The man said he was umpiring a youth baseball game when he ejected one of the coaches for using foul language, according to Taggart. The umpire told police the coach, later identified as Otero, punched him on the left side of his face, the prosecutor said.
Local: Branchburg single-family homes plan includes open space
Local: Branchburg woman receives national YMCA 30 Under 30 Award
A follow-up investigation conducted by Branchburg detectives revealed that after receiving medical treatment, it was determined the umpire had suffered a fractured jaw and concussion from being struck, the prosecutor said.
Anyone with information relating to this incident is asked to contact the Branchburg Township Police Department at 908-526-3830 or via the STOPit app. Information also can be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.
Email: srussell@gannettnj.com
Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Branchburg NJ: Baseball coach punched umpire, broke jaw: police
