Father charged with assault after tackling son's opponent

NEW YORK - A North Carolina father was arrested and charged with simple assault and disorderly conduct after he tackled a high school wrestler during a match on Saturday, January 18.

According to police, Barry Lee Jones was watching his son compete at AL Brown High School in Kannapolis. He rushed in when his son’s opponent performed an illegal move.

Footage of the incident shared to social media shows Jones rushing in and tackling the wrestler from behind. Other footage of the fight shows a spectator pulling Jones to the ground and placing him in a choke hold.

According to reports, the judge on the mat at the time of the incident had signaled an illegal move.

Jones was processed at the Cabarrus County Jail and received a $1,000 secured bond.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Cabarrus County Schools said: “Our school system has expectations for student decorum and sportsmanship during extra-curricular and athletic events. Our expectations for spectators are no different. The actions displayed by a spectator at the wrestling match on January 18, 2020, fall far below our expectations. We do not condone his actions.”