STUART, Fla. -- Dwyer High head softball coach Edward Wallace was arrested in Stuart on Sunday after police say he head-butted an umpire on the field.
A Martin County Sheriff's Deputy responded to a softball field on SW Halpatiokee Drive at approximately 1:38 p.m. in reference to a disturbance.
The deputy made contact with Fernando O'Neill, an umpire officiating the game.
O'Neill told the deputy that while he was working on the field, the coach became disgruntled with how he called a play on the field.
O'Neill says he told Wallace that he couldn't be disorderly at the game.
The ref says coach Wallace continued to be disorderly so O'Neill ejected him from the game.
After being ejected, O'Neill says the coach came back towards him stating, "I'm going to get my money's worth then," getting in his face, yelling at him and head-butting him.
O'Neill says after the head-butt, he grabbed Wallace and slammed him on the ground in self-defense.
Other umpires jumped in at that time and separated the men.
Multiple witnesses filled out sworn statements that indicated the coach got close to the umpire and head-butted him, and that after the head-butt, the umpire acted in self-defense and started choking the coach.
The Deputy concluded that Wallace was the primary aggressor and was placed under arrest and transported to the Martin County Jail for booking.
