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Both teams were tangling in an Adult Bergen County Open Soccer League match at Continental Soldiers Field when police arrived at 9:30 p.m. and separated them, Police Chief James Batelli told CLIFFVIEW PILOT this morning.
They found the 21-year-old Mahwah victim with a cut across his nose, his teeth loosened by a blow to the head that had temporarily knocked him out, the chief said.
He was taken to The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood.
Officers arrested 21-year-old Ronald Sanchez of Paterson after several players told them that he blindsided the victim with a forearm and elbow to the face, Batelli said.
Several players “ran onto the field to render aid to the victim and get the attention of the referees,” he said, while Sanchez “ran away and continued playing down the field until the game was stopped by the referees.
“Sanchez claimed that the physical contact came about during the play, but interviews with referees at the game corroborated the victims and other players’ versions,” he said.
“The referees claimed they were watching the play of the game and observed the ball being passed up field and at that time there was no physical contact with the victim until after the ball had been passed to another player,” the chief said.
“During the game the victim had complained to the referee that Sanchez was playing rough, and trying to hurt him with physi cal contact, pushing and shoving contrary to rules of the game,” he added.
Officer John Lange arrested Sanchez on aggravated assault charges. He was released pending a Municipal Court hearing.
MUGSHOT: Courtesy MAHWAH PD
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