Old Man Arrested Following Alleged Dust-Up with Two Children at a Tennis Court
NOVATO — An older man and two mischievous children got into an unfortunate tussle at a tennis court. A 61-year-old man was arrested after he allegedly assaulted the children, ages 7 and 8. The incident occurred July 27 at Pioneer Park bordering Simmons Lane.
The suspect’s twilight tennis match turned into a serious police matter. It seems the mischievous youngsters threw some items on a tennis court, and the old guy apparently lost his temper.
Parkgoers nearby intervened and stopped the ruckus, but not before one of the children sustained a minor injury. The tennis player identified as Olaf Becker, a resident of Novato, returned to the tennis court, until the police arrived.
Responding officers determined that Becker confronted the children for interrupting his tennis game. The violence erupted after the suspect demanded that youngsters stop throwing items, but they continued doing it.
Becker allegedly struck both the children. For this reason, he was arrested, transported, and booked at Marin County Jail. The kids were checked by paramedics from the fire department, before they returned to their parents for supervision.
Becker now faces charges for child abuse PC 273A(a) and corporal injury to a child PC 273D(a). In a prepared statement Novato police said. “Thank you to the community members who promptly reported the incident. The Novato Police Department thoroughly investigates crimes against children, to the fullest extent.”
