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Video Shows Willimantic Youth Basketball Coach Ram Victim With Car After Game: Police

A Connecticut youth basketball coach had children in his vehicle when he rammed someone with his car in a school parking lot following a game over the weekend, authorities said.

Bryan Baez-Rivera

Bryan Baez-Rivera

Photo Credit: Connecticut State Police

Surveillance footage, shared by WFSB, shows the victim position themself in front of 29-year-old Bryan Baez-Rivera's vehicle after the game at Horace Porter School in Columbia when the coach from Willimantic 11:20 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11, Connecticut State Police said. 

Baez-Rivera, who was coaching the opposing girl's team, made no attempt to avoid the person and rams into them with his vehicle, as stated by state police and shown in the video. The victim went over the hood and roof of the car before falling to the ground. The victim suffered visible injuries and was taken to a local hospital, police said. The violent incident happened in the school parking lot.

Baez-Rivera contacted Troop K dispatch himself and reported his location, stating he had left the scene and stopped at a nearby business, according to police. He told police that he had gotten into an argument after the game and left the parking lot for safety reasons, as people were chasing his vehicle. He claimed the victim walked in front of his path of travel and that the collision was unavoidable.

Baez-Rivera was arrested without incident and charged with risk of injury to a minor (two counts), second-degree assault, second-degree reckless endangerment, and second-degree breach of peace. He was released on a $5,000 bond and is scheduled to appear at Rockville Superior Court on January 23, 2025.

The Department of Children and Families (DCF) has been notified due to the involvement of minors who were passengers in Baez-Rivera’s vehicle at the time of the incident. The case remains under investigation.

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