Western Division Court Filing Alleges Assault at Barnesville-Union Local Football Game

Charges were filed this past week  through private-citizen affidavits that alleges Union Local High School Football Coach Vaughn Butler assaulted Flushing resident Brent Gay “and engaged in disorderly conduct at the event largely attended by students and their families” at the Union Local – Barnesville football game at Shamrock Stadium on October 24, 2024.  

”Mr. Gay filed the criminal charges with the court under the authority granted to private citizens by Ohio Revised Code Sections 2935.09(D) and 2935.10(A). Those statutes authorize private citizens to “file an affidavit charging the offense committed” and empower the reviewing court to issue arrest warrants and summons to the offenders after finding probable cause”, according to the suit filed by Cleveland-based m Chandra Law Firm, LLC.

The company’s website describes the boutique law firm as “high stakes  civil-rights advocates”.   

Two law-enforcement officers, Lt. Matthew Tippie of the Barnesville Police Department and Deputy Tyler Grant of the Belmont Couty Sheriff’s Office, also face charges according to the affidavit “for their alleged criminal dereliction of duty, and in Grant’s case alleged obstruction of justice, after the attack”..

Media accounts by WTOV-TV  and The Times Leader include responses to the suit  by the Belmont County Prosecutor’s Office.

WTOV also separately carried responses by Barnesville Police Chief Rocky Sirianni and Union Local Superintendent Zac Shutler.    

No court date has been set.    

Many local Facebook feeds received a “sponsored” post by Chandra with a redirect link to the firm’s press release. The full press release may be accessed here.