Thursday, 4:30 PM
Hockey dad charged with assaulting 10-year-old after game
By Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff
Westborough police charged a hockey dad with assaulting a child after he allegedly punched and kicked a 10-year-old who had gotten into a skirmish with his son as teams skated off the ice.
Richard Rosenberger, 46, is the treasurer for the Tri-Valley Indians, a youth hockey team in Worcester County. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment today in Westborough District Court to charges that also included assault with a dangerous weapon because police allege he used his shoe to kick a player from the Franklin Flyers.
Westborough Police Chief Alan R. Gordon said today in a telephone interview that Rosenberger attacked the 10-year-old player on March 3 after a game at the Northstar Youth Forum Ice Arena. Police did not identify the victim, who told investigators that he was "kicked and struck with a closed fist repeatedly."
After the two teams left the ice, there was a confrontation between Rosenberger's son and the player from the Franklin Flyers.
"Then the father, Rosenberger, took matters into his own hands," Gordon said.
The 10-year-old told police that Rosenberger berated him with obscenities and knocked him to the ground as he punched and kicked him, Gordon said. The player was bruised but did not suffer serious injuries, Gordon said.
After the incident, the Franklin player told his coaches, who contacted police. The player did not know the name of the man that attacked him, Gordon said, and it took police some time to piece together what happened. Rosenberger would not cooperate with investigators, who were assisted by the coach of the Tri-Valley Indians, Gordon said.
Police arrested Rosenberger on Thursday evening at his home in Hopedale, almost three weeks after the alleged incident.
