Fight At Main Line Kids' Basketball Game Leaves 3 Hurt, 2 Charged: DA

ROSEMONT, PA — A Malvern woman and her father have been charged with assault and more in connection with an attack on a man and woman that also hurt a child at a kids' basketball game in Lower Merion Township.

According to the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office, Brittany Ortiz, 38, of Malvern, and her father, William Stanley, 70, of Paoli, have been charged with assault on a sports official, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, harassment, and disorderly conduct in connection with a Feb. 1 incident at Holy Child School in Rosemont.

Ortiz was charged with an additional count of harassment and simple assault, as authorities said her actions led to a child being injured.

Lower Merion Police said officers were called to the school at about 2:08 p.m. Feb. 1 for a report of a physical assault.

Investigators learned during a second-grade game of the Malvern Basketball League that an assistant coach, later identified as Ortiz, got into an argument with the opposing team's assistant coach. The argument stemmed from Ortiz shouting and cursing during the game, police said.

Stanley also argued with the opposing coach during the interaction, authorities said.

After the game, Stanley and Ortiz continued arguing with the coach and his wife near the gym's entrance, according to police.

Witnesses told investigators that Ortiz grabbed the woman by her hair and slammed her to the ground, striking her head against the tile floor. As the man went to break up the fight, police said Stanley struck the man in the head, and Ortiz tried to kick him in the groin, striking him in the inner thigh.

During the interaction, the male victim was holding his 3-year-old daughter, according to documents. The child was hysterical during the physical altercation and urinated herself, despite being bathroom-trained, police said.

Authorities said the woman suffered a contusion on her scalp and a concussion. Additionally, charging documents state her hair was easily coming out when she ran her hands through it.

The male victim was bruised and red on this inner thigh, and the child suffered bruising on her leg, police said.

Holy Child School at Rosemont rents facilities to the Malvern Basketball League, whose teams are not affiliated with the school. No Holy Child families were involved in the incident.

"The most important thing is to be the adult in the room," Lower Merion Police Sgt. Michael Keenan told Patch. "People get heated, but it's your responsibility to make it fun for the kids. Any other behavior will lead to consequences. People need ot be held accountable."

Ortiz and Stanley were released on $10,000 unsecured bail and are scheduled for March 5 preliminary hearings, court records show.