NJ youth football coach challenged a call — then a referee put hands on him

🏈A youth flag football referee was charged after a game dispute

🏈Spectators said they separated the referee and a coach after an argument over a call

🏈The referee and coach gave police different accounts of what happened

FRANKLIN (Gloucester) — A youth flag football referee choked a coach after he ran onto the field to argue over a call on Sunday.

Spectators told township police they had to separate referee Edward McKinnie Jr., 47, of the Blackwood section, from the 46-year-old coach who disputed during a game at the Township Sports Complex around 1:30 p.m. Police did not disclose the nature of the call.

How hard was the push?

The two told police differing accounts of what happened between them.

McKinnie Jr. told police that he pushed the coach in the neck by five yards. The coach said that McKinnie pushed him backwards in the neck with pressure between 10 and 15 yards, causing him to lose his breath. The push left red marks, causing pain. Police said they cuffed McKinnie and took him away in a patrol vehicle.

McKinnie was charged with second-degree aggravated assault and released.

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