By Michael Clark
Staff Writer
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. - The biggest hit at a youth football game this weekend didn’t happen on the field.
Township Police Lt. Patrick Moran dislocated his shoulder and two Atlantic City spectators, including a resort teacher, were arrested at a Saturday game at Gabriel Field between the Galloway Mustangs and the Atlantic City Dolphins after Moran was allegedly assaulted.
The melee began when Moran was approached by a woman during the game alerting him to an incident earlier in the day regarding an unidentified boy who had been assaulted, according to Capt. Jay Davies. While the lieutenant spoke to the juvenile, 34-year-old Jaleel Prevard approached him and “obstructed Lt. Moran’s investigation.”
Police did not give exact details about Prevard’s actions, except to say that he refused to leave the area after being ordered to and then assaulted Moran.
Moran was attempting to arrest Prevard when 33-year-old Thomas Kelly, Prevard’s brother, intervened. Police, again, did not give details as to what Kelly did, but said that both Prevard and Moran fell to the ground, dislocating Moran’s shoulder.
An off-duty New Jersey state trooper, who was not identified, helped secure Prevard while Kelly fled and disappeared in the crowd, according to Davies.
“All I’m going to ask is this: Why didn’t the police arrest (Kelly) at the game,” said George Crouch, an Atlantic City school board member and president of the Atlantic City Dolphins. “They didn’t arrest him until he showed up at the Galloway Police Department to make a statement.”
Davies said Kelly did arrive at the department to make a statement and police arrested him because he had eluded them at the game.
Crouch confirmed that Kelly is a teacher at Atlantic City’s alternative high school, Viking Academy. Atlantic City Superintendent Fredrick Nickles was in Myrtle Beach, S.C. on Monday and was not aware of the incident involving one of his teachers.
When asked if Prevard had any relation to the assaulted juvenile, Davies would not comment, saying it was a matter for the Department of Youth and Family Services.
Both men were charged with aggravated assault on a police officer and obstruction of justice and Prevard was also charged with resisting arrest.
Prevard and Kelly were both released for Atlantic County jail Sunday morning on $25,000 and $21,000 bail, respectively.
The injury sidelined Moran on Sunday, but he’s expected to be back at work today.
The weekend incident is not the first altercation at a youth football game recently. Earlier this month, a teenaged spectator threatened another teen at knifepoint. Also, police in Pleasantville arrested a 15-year-old two years ago after he allegedly shot and wounded three adults at a game again involving the Atlantic City Dolphins, when they faced off against the Pleasantville Jokers.
Copyright 2007 The Press of Atlantic City