Father charged with assaulting coach after ballgame

The father of a player on a Garner youth baseball team has been charged with assault in connection with an altercation that followed a ballgame in Wilson, police said.

Gary Wayne Merritt, 43, of 5905 Swales Way in Raleigh, also was charged with communicating threats and damage to personal property.

Witnesses told police that, after the game, Merritt began yelling and cursing at the coach of his son's team. Parents and bystanders tried to separate the two men, but a fight broke out, and police had to intervene.

Wilson police initially reported that Merritt was a coach and had attacked the coach of the opposing team.