Waterpark manager arrested for assault

Williamsburg police arrested a local parent Tuesday afternoon for allegedly coming onto the field during a fight at a middle school football game Saturday, and assaulting a player.Robert Phillip Petitt, 54, of Williamsburg, turned himself into authorities about 3 p.m., and was served with an arrest warrant charging him with fourth-degree assault and menacing in connection with the Sept. 24 football game. Petitt, who is manager of the Kentucky Splash waterpark, was released on a $7,500 surety bond.
Williamsburg Police Officer Jason Caddell, the investigating officer in the case, said the charges stem from a fight at a middle school football game between Lynn Camp and Williamsburg Saturday that happened about 2 p.m.
During the third quarter of the game, Caddell said a fight broke out between two players in the middle of the field.
“When it happened two more fights broke out. Apparently one of the fights involved Mr. Petitt’s son. Mr. Petitt states that he came over the fence to try and break up the fight because the referees and coaches were busy,” Caddell said. “The victim’s mother says Mr. Petitt came over and assaulted her son.”
Caddell said witness accounts vary with one side saying Petitt was simply trying to break up the fight, and with the other side saying he assaulted the student.
“I got a statement from the referee saying that Mr. Petitt had the student by the face mask, and was pulling on him, which could have injured the kid. This is the statement from the referee, who broke up the fight,” Caddell said. “The referee physically restrained Mr. Petitt. He separated the kids, grabbed a hold of Mr. Petitt, and was pulling Mr. Petitt out of the pile. The referee is the only one that I would think would be impartial.”
The arrest warrant alleges that Petitt struck the 15-year-old in the face with his hands causing bleeding from the nose, a busted lip, and scratches to the neck and face, and that Petitt “intentionally placed another person in reasonable apprehension of imminent physical injury by menacing the minor.”
Caddell said menacing means that someone poses a threat to another person, or is trying to intimidate them.
The victim’s mother swore out the warrant shortly after noon Tuesday.
Caddell said that it is unfortunate that parents sometimes get a little too involved in game, and things get a little out of hand.
“Both coaching staffs I think did a great job separating the kids, trying to keep everything as peaceful as they could that is hard to do during those kind of circumstances,” he added.
Caddell said the two sides only scuffled for a few minutes, and then officers made everyone leave the game.
Williamsburg Police Officer Tresa Gray assisted at the scene along with several Whitley County Sheriff’s deputies.
Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison said he will be looking into the matter.
“As of right now, Phil is still the manager of the waterpark,” Harrison said.
Harrison said doesn’t have any direct information concerning the incident, and that all the information he has regarding it is at best second hand knowledge at this point.
“You know how second hand talk is. I wasn’t at the ball game. I haven’t seen anything. I have not seen the video. I have a hard time believing that Phil would do anything like that,” Harrison said. “I was a coach once, and I’ve had to break up fights. I know what it turns into. When a fight gets that huge. It is really kind of hard to stop anything. I am going to reserve any kind of judgment until I find out something for sure. I’d like to see the tape, and find out.”