Dad pulls .357 magnum at pee wee game

46-year-old man upset with football coach over son's lack of playing time

AP	Wayne Derkotch allegedly pulled a gun on a youth football coach because his son wasn't getting enough playing time at a game in northeast Phiiladelphia on Oct. 22.

NBCPhiladelphia.com

updated 9:55 p.m. ET Oct. 26, 2006

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia police say a father pulled out a .357 Magnum pistol on a youth football coach because his son wasn't getting enough playing time. A fight ensued between the man and a referee, and both are now facing charges.

Wayne Derkotch, 46, is accused of pulling the gun Sunday during a game between the Oxford Circle Raiders and the Burholme Outlaws -- five- and six- year-olds -- at Burholme Field in Northeast Philadelphia. No shots were fired.

Derkotch was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless endangerment. He did not immediately return a telephone message left at his home Monday.

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Shawn Henwood, the referee, was also arrested on simple assault charges.

But police say it's unclear if the fight involving Henwood was related to the first altercation.

Henwood apparently was arrested after an altercation with Derkotch's brother. Henwood told NBC 10 that he was upset because he believed he was struck first.

He said he was shocked to see a parent had brought a .357 Magnum with him.

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"Everyone started screaming, 'Gun! Gun!' I immediately turned the boys and ran them to the opposite side of the field because the issue happened over this way," Henwood said.

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"Why would you take a gun to where a bunch of young kids are ... for no reason," asked Wayne Kohler, one of Derkotch's neighbors.

Derkotch didn't answer that question Monday night or the knock on the door of his Fishtown home.

The coach involved, whose own son plays for the Outlaws, was willing to talk but didn't offer much detail other than to say overly enthusiastic parents can be a problem.

"We get parents like that all the time ... just an unfortunate situation," said Coach Jermaine Wilson.