Referee: Howell may have closed case of parents attacking me, but I haven’t

Howell police may be done with their investigation of an alleged attack on two referees by two parents at an ice hockey game — but at least of one of those involved isn't.

Richard Lomurro, an attorney for referee Dave Brown, said his client plans to hire a private investigator, to interview "the many witnesses who've not been interviewed, and there are many."

“There’s still a pending civilian complaint that was filed by my client, and we have every intention of pursuing that," he said.

In addition, NJ Advance Media reported Thursday night school officials had barred both of the parents accused of the attack from future Hockey games and on-campus events.

Police said Thursday they don't intend to press charges in the incident, in which Brown and fellow referee Sal Bianco Sr. have alleged two parents attacked them in a locker room of the Howell Ice World after a Manalapan-Howell game Sunday. Police said the incident as alleged would be simple assault, and that police don't generally press charges in such cases unless they witness the incidents themselves.

Lomurro offered a different interpretation: “Because there were children present, 16 years (old) and under, high school students who witnessed what occurred, this qualifies as an aggravated assault, a fourth-degree crime.”

Police did say the involved parties may still file criminal complaints of their own — but said their investigation is complete.

Howell Detective Sgt. Christian Antunez said police are “wrapping up a few loose ends," with one possible witness left to interview "but it will not have an impact on bringing charges, which is what we expected from the beginning," he said.

If people involved file complaints of their own, "that is on them," Antunez said.

One of the allegedly involved parents, Robert Dovenero of Point Pleasant has told the Asbury Park Press Brown instigated the altercation, saying Brown used an obscenity in reference to  the mother of one of the players, and the woman's husband confronted him in the locker room.

"There’s just not enough evidence or reason to move forward," Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office spokesman Charlie Webster told New Jersey 101.5. "The case is closed."

Lomurro had said earlier Thursday he expected witness interviews would still take some time.

"There's a lot of people walking around," Lomurro said. "Parents, kids, scorekeepers who are involved with high school sports so there were people around. This was an area filled with people ... who saw this thing go down."

Lomurro also said he believed "the evidence is going to show clearly that this was really an unprovoked attack on the referees. They were essentially sitting in the locker getting changed after a game and they were attacked out of nowhere by parents."

He also plans to speak with owner of the rink to find out if any surveillance video may be available.

— With reporting by Dan Alexander