ARCHBOLD, Ohio — The Swanton wrestling coach accused of assaulting a 14-year-old student during a wrestling match earlier this month was charged with two offenses relating to the alleged incident on Friday.
According to an Archbold police report, wrestling coach Aaron Brown was charged with one count of endangering children and one count of assault. Both charges are first-degree misdemeanors.
This comes after 28-year-old Brown allegedly assaulted a student wrestler after he lost a match against a Sylvania wrestler during a Jan. 7 invitational at Archbold Middle School.
According to multiple witnesses, Brown grabbed the student by the back of the neck, threw him into a wall, threw him into a set of metal doors and "used the child's body" to open the doors before throwing him into a hallway.
The victim's mother, Gayline Diller, released a statement on Brown being charged:
"The past few weeks have been incredibly challenging and emotional for our family. The outpouring of support my son is receiving is overwhelming. The kindness and encouragement from family, friends, and others in the community is heartfelt and greatly appreciated. Today, I learned Coach Brown will face criminal charges. While I wish it was unnecessary, I appreciate the efforts of the Archbold Police Department and prosecutor in pursuing justice for my son."
Ashton Oliver, a parent of a Sylvania student, said that as the incident was unfolding, she ran onto the mat to stop a wrestling match and draw everyone's attention to the alleged assault. She then alerted the Sylvania coach, who, along with other coaches, ran to the student's aid and physically restrained the Swanton coach.
District officials had initially placed coach Brown on paid leave after the incident. The district announced on Jan. 9 Brown had been removed from his position after an investigation.
Diller filed a criminal complaint against Brown with the Archbold Police Department.
"I will not stop until this man is in jail," she told WTOL 11 in an interview earlier this month.
Swanton Local Schools superintendent Chris Lake said the district has previously received two complaints about Brown.
Last year, a formal complaint of Brown cussing at students was filed, which was handled by the district's athletic director, Lake said.
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