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Police: Taunton woman assaulted two referees at Foxborough ice rink
The incident took place at a high school boys varsity hockey matchup between Mansfield and Taunton.
A Taunton woman is facing charges for assaulting two game officials at an ice hockey game in Foxborough earlier this month, authorities said.
At 9:45 p.m. on Jan. 4, Foxborough police responded to a disturbance at Foxboro Sports Center at 10 East Belcher Rd., according to a statement from the department on Thursday.
An initial investigation revealed that an alleged parent of one of the players assaulted two game officials, authorities said.
Police later interviewed witnesses and the referees. They also watched footage from the game and cellphone video.
Following the game, the woman was seen waiting for several minutes for the hockey officials to get off the ice, according to a statement from the National Ice Hockey Officials Association.
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“The woman later physically confronted the officials, as they
retreated, preventing the officials from continuing to the locker room,” the NIHOA said. “Witnesses contacted the Foxboro Police immediately upon request of the officials.”
Police did not release the alleged perpetrator’s name, but the NIHOA identified the person as a Taunton woman.
The incident took place at a high school boys varsity hockey matchup between Mansfield and Taunton. Mansfield secured a goal with just four seconds left on the clock, winning 6-5.
During the game, officials also called for a Taunton man to leave the arena due to “verbal abuse,” the NIHOA said.
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Assaults against sports officials are on the rise in Massachusetts, according to the statement.
“Spectator misconduct significantly affects the ability to recruit and retain officials, and sets a poor example for the student spectators of high school athletics,” the NIHOA said. “These incidents, whether verbal or physical, have no place in sports, and threaten the future of our game given the already significant shortage of officials.”
NIHOA is advocating for stronger legislative protections for sports officials, sponsoring a petition to raise awareness about a Massachusetts bill with similar provisions to legislation in New Hampshire.
In a statement, Taunton Public Schools said it holds its student-athletes and spectators to “high standards,” and violations of its fan expectations are “not tolerated and will be disciplined accordingly.”
Sheri Cohen, vice president of Foxboro Sports Center, declined to comment on the incident.
The woman involved in the incident, who faces several criminal charges, will be summoned to Wrentham District Court at a later date.
“We are grateful to those who witnessed the incident, to Foxboro Sports Center personnel for their immediate response, and to the Mansfield and Taunton High School Athletic Departments for taking immediate action to ensure the future safety of officials,” the NIHOA said.
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