Michael Barbella didn’t drive down to Salisbury from New Jersey to enjoy the United States Specialty Sports Association World Series softball tournament opening ceremony on Wednesday.
He drove down to get involved in a fight with another New Jersey dad outside the opening ceremony venue, the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office said.
The fight, outside the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center, was recorded, and a video posted to the WorldstarHipHop.com website –– a content-aggregating video blog known for its videos of public fights –– had more than 640,000 views as of early Thursday evening.
“It was a continuation of a previous problem,” Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Tim Robinson said.
Barbella, 48, of <culink title="" class="culinks" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; font-weight: 400 !important;" href="http://curiyo.com/en/topic/Ventnor City, New Jersey" culang="en">Ventnor City, New Jersey</culink>, and Michael John Duffy, 45, of <culink title="" class="culinks" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; font-weight: 400 !important;" href="http://curiyo.com/en/topic/Mays Landing, New Jersey" culang="en">Mays Landing, New Jersey</culink>, are each facing charges of affray, second-degree assault and disorderly conduct.
Duffy was released on his own recognizance, according to online court records, and Barbella was released on $5,000 bond Thursday.
A person who answered the phone at the number listed in Barbella’s case file said it was the wrong number, and a phone call and voicemail made to the number listed in Duffy’s file went unanswered.
Duffy, the parent of a member of the South Jersey Maniacs softball team, said Barbella texted him once he got to the Civic Center, and Duffy came outside to see Barbella in an argument with two other parents, charging documents state.
At one point, Barbella pushed Duffy, and a fight began, ending with Duffy on top of Barbella and injuries to Barbella’s face, according to charging documents.
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A deputy saw what looked to be a challenge of a fight from Barbella to Duffy via text, the deputy wrote in charging documents.
“I later learned Barbella’s daughter was removed from the team roster due to problems caused by Barbella and not his daughter,” the deputy wrote. “I learned Barbella’s daughter was not at the (Wicomico Youth & Civic Center) for the event, and Barbella drove to the event regardless.”
The deputy responded to the Civic Center shortly after 6 p.m. Wednesday and saw Barbella, who was injured and being treated by a paramedic; spoke with Duffy; and saw a video of the fight, charging documents state. Another law-enforcement officer spoke with Barbella.
Duffy admitted to be “wrong for participating” in the fight, and Barbella denied being in a fight and said he’d been injured from falling, charging documents state.
