PALMETTO BAY, Fla. – A teen is now behind bars after police said he attacked his baseball teammate with an air horn after their coach made them run extra laps following baseball practice at a Palmetto Bay park last week.
Local 10 News obtained cellphone video Tuesday that shows officers outside of Miami Palmetto High School arresting Jeremy Singer and putting him into a police car.
His arrest comes almost a week after family members of his teammate, David Diaz, a 15-year-old junior varsity baseball player, say Singer attacked Diaz after practice at Coral Reef Park after their coaches had gone home.
The victim told Miami-Dade police that he and his teammates were initially disciplined by their head coach, who made them run two extra laps after practice was over because Diaz brought food onto the field at the park, located at 7895 SW 152nd St.
Singer, 16, of Palmetto Bay, became upset after having to run extra laps and told the victim around several of their teammates, “I’m going to whoop your a--,” according to the report.
Moments later, the victim was sitting on a bench waiting for his ride when he felt a “sudden blow to his head,” at which time he looked up and noticed Singer dropping a blunt object on the ground while calling him a “p----” and asking him to fight, the report stated.
While being questioned, Singer told detectives that he threw the air horn at the victim’s feet in an attempt to scare him, but accidentally hit his ear, the report stated.
Candida Chesman, Diaz’s grandmother, told Local 10 News that she saw blood gushing from his head before she rushed him to Miami Children’s Hospital where he received six stitches.
“I couldn’t believe that a team member from his baseball team from Palmetto High would do this,” said Chesman.
A spokesperson with Miami-Dade County Public Schools told Local 10 News that Miami-Dade police are handling the incident and school representatives have reached out to the mother and have tried to schedule a meeting.
“The school police reached out Friday morning,” said Chesman. “Until today, we have not got any calls from the principal.”
The district says Singer’s parents have apologized and offered to pay for Diaz’s medical expenses. They said Diaz’s mother deferred Singer’s family to her attorney.
Police have confirmed that Singer was transported to a juvenile detention center following his arrest.
According to jail records, he is facing one count of aggravated battery with a weapon causing great bodily harm.
It’s unclear why the coaches apparently left before all the children were picked up and whether they will be disciplined.