Mount Pleasant Man Trips 9-Year-Old at Football Game, Now Faces Possible Charges

A youth football game between the Case Eagles and Milwaukee Colts turned into a criminal matter this week after a spectator stepped onto the field and tripped a 9-year-old runner as he sprinted toward what looked like a touchdown. The child popped back up on his own and was not hurt, but the video of the trip has spread fast, and now the question is whether the man who did it will face charges.

The 10-under game took place in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, which puts the case under the jurisdiction of the Mount Pleasant Police Department and the Racine County District Attorney's office, according to CBS 58. Spectator video reviewed by the station showed the adult stepping onto the field as a Case Eagles runner swept left, tripping the boy so forcefully that both of them hit the turf. A Case Eagles parent, Claire Bernal, recorded the incident and described the behavior as abhorrent, according to WISN.

Officers responded to the scene and talked with the man after the game, per WISN's reporting. He was asked to leave, and a league representative later said the parent was banned. A representative for the Milwaukee Colts youth organization has since clarified to CBS 58 that the man was a spectator rather than a coach, that he was banned for the remainder of the season, and that he was taken into custody. The Colts had not responded to WISN's earlier inquiry about the incident.

Coach Calls It the Most Cowardly Thing He's Seen

Case Eagles head coach Channing Schultz was out of town during the game but said he received calls from parents along with video of the trip. He told WISN he believes the man tripped the boy intentionally and said the player's leg or shin could have been broken. Schultz called for the man to be banned for life and urged coaches and parents across the league to be better youth leaders.

In comments reported by CBS 58, Schultz called the tripping the most cowardly act he had seen and said he is considering forfeiting the team's rematch against the Colts, scheduled for two weeks from now, if player safety cannot be guaranteed. Schultz and Case Eagles parents have said they want accountability on all ends, per WISN.

What Charges Could Follow

It remains unclear whether the Racine County DA has filed or plans to file any charges, and police did not respond to WISN's inquiry about whether an investigation is underway. But Wisconsin law does give prosecutors a range of options. Intentionally causing bodily harm to a minor child is classified as a Class H felony under Wisconsin Statute § 948.03(2)(b), according to Justia Law.

A lesser option is disorderly conduct under Wisconsin Statute § 947.01, a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine, as outlined by the Wisconsin Legislature. Prosecutors could also pursue misdemeanor battery, which under Wisconsin Statute § 940.19(1) applies to intentionally causing bodily harm to another person without consent and is legally distinct from disorderly conduct, per Kim & LaVoy, S.C. Which charge, if any, applies will depend on how investigators and the DA's office weigh the man's intent and the physical impact of the trip.

A League Built Around Safety Rules

The Case Eagles and Milwaukee Colts play under Southeastern Wisconsin Brew City Pop Warner, which oversees youth tackle football programs across Milwaukee and Racine counties for kids ages 6 to 14 and enforces mandatory safety guidelines and weight limits, according to league documentation on Sports Connect. Racine Youth Sports separately earned USA Football Silver Status recognition in October 2024 for meeting national standards in coaching education and player safety protocols.

Sideline incidents involving adults have become a recurring theme in youth football coverage this year, including gunfire at a Bronzeville game that sent families running and a South Hills league's decision to reinstate a weight cap that benched kids days before kickoff. Rising stakes may be part of the picture: U.S. families spent an average of $1,016 per child on primary sports in 2024, a 46% increase since 2019, according to national data from the Aspen Institute's Project Play cited in Hoodline's earlier reporting on youth football costs.

For now, the Case Eagles are left waiting to see whether the Racine County DA will act, and whether the rematch in two weeks happens at all. Schultz has made clear that forfeiting is on the table if he cannot be assured his players will be safe on the field.