Quebec hockey coach faces assault charges after on-ice brawl sparked by player's use of racial slur
Victim says he was trying to break up fight when opposing team's coach threw him to ice
A hockey coach from Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Que., is facing assault charges following an on-ice brawl back in December that allegedly began when one player uttered a racial slur at another.
The man has been accused of pushing a coach from the opposing team.
The L'Île-Perrot Midget A U18 team, was rejoicing when they beat Valleyfield 3-1 on Dec. 3 — until a Valleyfield player called one of the L'Île-Perrot players the N-word.
The infraction was recorded on the game's scorecard. The penalty is typically a five-game suspension.
A brawl between the two teams ensued and L'Île-Perrot assistant coach Jason McCaig was pushed while trying to break it up.
As he started pulling his own players out of the brawl, McCaig said he didn't see the other team's coach coming toward him — all he knew was that moments later he was "flying down the ice." He says he was shoved and the impact left deep bruising and a contusion on his hip.
CBC contacted the Valleyfield coach's home after the incident, but his wife said they did not want to comment. Salaberry-de-Valleyfield is a municipality just west of Montreal island.
On their way back to the locker-rooms with the head coach, McCaig says parents of Valleyfield players threw a garbage can lid at his colleague, hitting his head.
Other parents were taunting the L'Île-Perrot players and asking to fight them, said McCaig. He called the police who arrived shortly after to get statements from both teams.
McCaig later got footage from a video camera broadcasting the game online. He brought it to the police station and filed a complaint against the coach who allegedly pushed him. The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) began an investigation.
According to the Crown, the accused has been charged with a summary offence. Summary offences are less serious than indictable offences.
A lawyer or agent can appear in court rather than the accused unless the judge orders otherwise.
The case is expected back in court in May, the Crown said in a statement.