An assistant North Allegheny Senior High School football coach, is accused of strangling a basketball coach and striking a spectator during a fight that broke out last week at a kids’ club basketball game in Washington County.

Scott McMullen, 46, of Coraopolis, was charged Feb. 16 with simple assault, harassment, strangulation and disorderly conduct for his alleged role in the fight, which took place three days earlier at a school in Burgettstown. He was awaiting a preliminary hearing as of Tuesday.

His attorney claims McMullen was defending his son.

The melee started when a boy from the Moon club team and a boy from the Burgettstown club team started fighting, according to a criminal complaint obtained by the Tribune-Review. The game was between fifth graders, according to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI.

Burgettstown’s coach, Marc Bianchini, attempted to break up the fight, police said in the complaint. A parent from the Moon team, later identified as McMullen, then grabbed Bianchini by the neck from behind and started choking him. Bianchini told police he could not breathe for about two seconds.

Two Burgettstown parents intervened, attempting to pull McMullen off the coach, according to the complaint. McMullen struck one of the parents in the face, causing severe swelling, police said.

“Someone had laid hands, an adult, on my client’s child that was not my client’s child’s coach,” said attorney Phil DiLucente, who represents McMullen. “Simply stated, I think any parent would have done the same thing.”

DiLucente said he and McMullen “are hopeful we just get this resolved at the preliminary hearing.”

Due to the fight, McMullen’s son has been banned for one year for participating in Pittsburgh Basketball Club games, DiLucente said. That club was not available Tuesday for comment. DiLucente called the move unfair.

“Fisticuffs happen all the time,” DiLucente told the Tribune-Review Tuesday. “I’ve never witnessed someone other than the player’s coach being involved in a situation … You’re only supposed to grab your player.”

It is unclear if McMullen will face disciplinary action at the school district where he works. DiLucente confirmed McMullen is an assistant football coach and teaches at North Allegheny Senior High School.

Melissa Friez, North Allegheny’s superintendent of schools, said the district was notified Feb. 17 about McMullen and “charges unrelated to our district’s students or activities.”

“We are gathering more information and we will follow district policies to address any concerns,” Friez said in a prepared statement. “We have no further comment at this time.”

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