Pascoag man charged with felony following assault at Burrillville Little League game

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BURRILLVILLE – A man who attacked the 74-year-old caretaker of the field hosting a Burrillville Little League All Star game last week for insulting his mother is now facing a felony.

Paul Sharpe, 37, of Pascoag, was arrested on Wednesday, July 13, and charged with assault of a person over the age of 60 causing bodily injury.

According to the arrest report, the incident began when a 55-year-old woman from Thompson, Conn., in town to watch her grandson’s baseball game on Sunday, July 10, tried to enter Richard Peck Field with her dog. The woman, Sharpe’s mother, later told police that a man began yelling at her that dogs are not allowed on the property.

While the name of the man was redacted from a report on the incident provided to NRI NOW, witnesses tell us it was 74-year-old Richard Peck, the longtime caretaker of the facility and treasurer of the BLL board, after whom the field is named.

Sharpe was reportedly sitting in the car at the time of the encounter, but his mother told him about it when she returned to secure the dog. When Sharpe later asked Peck about the confrontation, the caretaker reportedly referred to his mother as the “f$%ing b&%ch with the dog.”

Sharpe responded by grabbing Peck by the throat and slamming him against the stone wall of the press box at the field, according to accounts by both the victim and assailant.

Witnesses tell NRI NOW that the incident happened in front of a packed house at the All Star game. The field was hosting a 10u game, followed by a game for the 12u team starting at 7:30 p.m.

According to police, who were called to the field around 8:20 p.m., the victim had a large knot on the back of his head following the assault, but initially declined to press charges.

Three days later, Peck visited police headquarters to say he had been experiencing headaches and pain since the incident, and that he wished to file charges on the assault.

Sharpe turned himself in to police later that day. He was arraigned in 6th District Court on Tuesday, July 19 and a no contact order was issued.

Sharpe is due back in court Wednesday, August 3 for a hearing on the felony.

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24 COMMENTS

  1. Who parent in their right mind names their kid Richard… you’re just setting the poor guy up for a life of failure because we all know the inevitable nickname will be how he is forever referred. Sad all around.

  2. I have not seen anyone post this, but this could have easily been avoided. There are signs posted at the field that dogs are not allowed. If the mother had read one of the several signs…

  3. No excuse for physically assaulting another person regardless of circumstances. Fact that this occurred at Sherman Park makes it especially sad. I’m sure this bothered Coach Peck more than anything else.

  4. Shawn McConnell nailed it! Thank you Shawn!
    “Your buddy Paul grabbed my coach by the throat and threw him into a retaining wall causing lingering head injuries. A 37 year old versus a 74 year old. Wrap that around your head. All of you defending the soon to be felon that attacks the defenseless in front of parents and children should be ashamed of yourselves.”

  5. Well, if you people had a mother like Lynn. You would probably understand where Paulie is coming from. He’s a good man who lost his cool. We’ve all had those moments in life. So hey, leave my nephew alone!

    • We’ve all had those moments in life? Sorry Kelly, I’ve never had a moment where I committed felony assault on a senior. Your nephew belongs in jail, and hopefully that’s where he’ll be going. We’ll see what a bada$$ he is in the ACI.

  6. This is a very serious situation, but I do understand the emotions behind it. When you go to speak to someone and the response you get from a so called town figure, the last thing you expect is for him to refer to your mother, of all people, in such a vulgar, and improper manner. Emotions run high in cases like this, I am not condoning how Mr. Sharpe handled this, but i do understand it! If Mr. Peck doesn’t know how to act in public then he shouldn’t be allowed to attend these games. After all he is Coach Peck, and is supposed to be setting an example to those young men who play the sport! Call it a truce, Mr. Peck, clean up your act or stay away from the field when there are games being played, and Mr. Sharpe, don’t let your emotions take over. Difficult sometimes, but lesson learned.

  7. Today verbal assaults are much too common, and sometimes bring out the worst in many of us. We all need to take a deep breath and let things cool down and walk away. That being said, a felony physical assault cannot be excused for any reason. Your buddy Shawn is going to write a large check and maybe spend some time in a cell. There is absolutely no way you could defend the act of a 37 year old man attacking a 74 year old, in front of children, causing serious head injuries and then claim it was because of an insult.

    • Should read, “Your buddy, the felon; Paul Sharpe, is going to write a large check and maybe spend some time in a cell”

  8. Not that assault is the answer, but swearing nasty things to someone’s partner is pushing someone’s emotional buttons. 74 years old or not, a nasty mouth is gonna get you something you don’t like.

  9. A little respect from all would have gone a long way that day. Unfortunately someone was physically assaulted and the guilty party should pay the price. Adults at youth events ought to know better!

  10. Paul Sharpe is a well known very respected businessman in Burrillville. He has done work to my home and I would recommend his services to anyone. This was an unfortunate event but hopefully it can be resolved in a timely and peaceful manner. It is my understanding that Mr Sharpe has donated his time and money to support the kids and field named after his accuser, I don’t know Mr Peck but he should have been more respectful.

    • I couldn’t agree anymore with you . It’s sad to see one lady get yelled at when multiple people bring their pets to the park every week. There were dogs at the park the day of the incident and she was taking her dog back to her truck where she normally keeps her dog.

    • John – You are defending a man that assaulted an elderly man that the field is named after, takes care of the field for free and has for decades, served our country, and has coached hundreds of children for decades. There is no one more respected within the Town of Burrillville than Coach Peck. If he’s not safe at his ballpark who is? Do you think for one second that any of us believe that Coach Peck verbally insulted the mother? Your friend Paul deserves zero sympathy, zero business from our town, and belongs being prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

      • Shawn, I think both sides wish they had handled things differently. I’m sure that Paul does. But, if you read the police report, you will see that Mr. Peck admitted to what he said. Not condoning violence, just saying.

        • Lynn – Share the police report via link or email it to me at shawn.cg.mcconnell@gmail.com. I’d love to see a personal sample size of 24 years of knowing Coach Peck and his character proven wrong with your claimed accusations. Publicly defaming a local historical figure will go a long way in this town.

          • Shawn, The police report is public record and available on request from the department. I can verify that it states he told police he did not know she was Sharpe’s mother and referred to her using the obscenities stated above.

      • Shawn, I can appreciate your admiration for Coach Peck but the facts are there, he did insult Mr Sharpes mother for basically no reason, he admitted doing so.
        I’m 62 and don’t have a violent bone in my body but when it comes to my mom, may she rest in peace, I’m pretty certain I would have had the same reaction. I think both parties should resolve this without a courtroom or charges . All it takes is for 2 grown men to shake hands with a mutual apology and leave this behind them.

        • John – Shake hands and leave it behind? Your buddy Paul grabbed my coach by the throat and threw him into a retaining wall causing lingering head injuries. A 37 year old versus a 74 year old. Wrap that around your head. All of you defending the soon to be felon that attacks the defenseless in front of parents and children should be ashamed of yourselves.

        • You’re right. He could’ve killed the guy because he SLAMMED HIS HEAD AGAINST A CONCRETE WALL and if he hit it just right, but let’s just shake hands and be done with it because this guy can’t handle himself in any other way when someone says some mean words. Not condoning mr peck for verbally insulting the woman but come on… in front of dozens of people and kids? You can know someone your whole life, that doesn’t mean you justify every one of their actions.

      • I was involved with Little League for a long time and served on the board with Dick Peck and although he can be blunt and to the point, I have never heard Dick use an “F” bomb. I have to question Mr Sharpes story on that.

        • Sandy Seoane July 21, 2022 at 5:02 pm
          The police report is public record and available on request from the department. I can verify that it states he told police he did not know she was Sharpe’s mother and referred to her using the obscenities stated above.
          Reply

    • I’ve only met Mr. Peck a couple of times in passing over the years. I believe he is a good man. I am so grateful to him for the wonderful job he has done in taking care of these baseball fields for all these years. Andy Rymanski was my brother’s best friend & Bryan tried to save him that fateful day December 16, 1967. My brother died tragically three years later in an elevator accident May 22, 1970.

      Thank you so much Mr. Richard Peck. You have done a wonderful job in taking care of Andy’s & Bryan’s fields. I am forever grateful to you.

      Thank you,
      Sheryl Lemoi Carpetis

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