Youth football coach faces misdemeanor

Assistant who rushed field, tackled boy charged with child abuse

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Boy discusses coach's attack
Sept. 6: The “Today” show Ann curry talks with Brian Wood — who was seen on tape being knocked down by an opposing team’s assistant coach — as well as his mother, Denise Champion, and his coach’s wife, Liz Garrido.

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updated 6:02 p.m. ET Sept. 11, 2006

STOCKTON, Calif. - An assistant youth football coach who allegedly rushed onto the field and tackled a boy on the opposing team was charged with misdemeanor child abuse Thursday.

Cory Petero initially was arrested on a felony charge, but prosecutors decided to pursue a misdemeanor instead because the youth wasn’t seriously injured and Petero has no prior criminal record, Deputy District Attorney Xapuri Villapudua said.

“The injuries to the child were very minor,” said Villapudua, noting that the boy suffered sore ribs and a sore hand from the tackle that sparked a stand-clearing brawl on Saturday.

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San Joaquin Superior Court Judge Clark Sueyres was less forgiving when Petero and his defense lawyer arrived 6 minutes late for the arraignment. By that time, the judge already had issued a warrant revoking the $50,000 bail Petero posted over the weekend.

Witnesses at Saturday’s game between the Riveroak Redskins and the Stockton Bears said Petero attacked the 13-year-old player for making a late hit on Petero’s son.

Villapudua said Petero would not have to return to jail, but might have to pay a fine. The arraignment would likely be rescheduled for Friday, she said. If convicted, Petero faces a maximum sentence of a year in jail and four years’ probation.

“I think the judge was uncomfortable with all the cameras in the courtroom and got rid of the case,” said Petero’s lawyer, Preciliano Martinez, referring to the extensive media coverage the incident has generated.

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Martinez said he and his client were late for court because he was waiting for someone to bring him his appointment calendar and did not realize Judge Sueyres had called the case. Petero did not have to go back to jail as a result of the warrant, Martinez said.