Grown man dons football helmet, attacks 9-year-old at youth practice, Florida police say
Published 2:59 pm Friday, September 30, 2022
A Florida man was arrested Thursday on aggravated child abuse charged after he allegedly began tackling a 9-year-old child during a youth football practice.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies said David Alan Taylor, 41, of Pensacola, Florida, was arrested after he apparently “ran out to the football field and was angry” after a player was tackled by Taylor’s victim. The boy started crying and it angered Taylor, deputies said.
Taylor allegedly picked up a football helmet, put it on his head, crouched down into a football stance and began running and striking the child in his chest, deputies said.
The incident occurred on September 20.
Deputies said that wasn’t the end of the matter, though. Taylor then allegedly pushed the child several feet, then put the 9-year-old on his back in an aggressive manner as the youth coaches tried to intervene.
Taylor was arrested at 12:47 a.m. Thursday and bonded out on a $30,000 bond a few hours later.
The extent of the child victim’s injuries, if any, were not released.