Westerville Football Coach Arrested After Alleged Slap Of Player

The head football coach at Westerville South High School was arrested and charged this week with assault and endangering children after a report that he shoved a player to the ground and slapped him across the face. Rocky Pentello was arrested and released without making a statement to police. Police say they were told about the incident by a school administrator, who learned about the alleged altercation through the school's confidential tip line. The person who called the tip line said Pentello "grabbed (the player) by the neck and slapped him hard across the face" during a practice on September 17. Of the several players who provided statements to police, seven reported seeing the coach shove the player to the ground, and seven reported seeing Pentello slap him. No other coaches reported seeing the slap. Their accounts ranged from saying the player was "lightly accosted" to "Pentello slowly guided (the player) onto his back..." Pentello is scheduled to be arraigned October 7. Pentello was arrested on Christmas Day, 2012 for misdemeanor domestic violence. Those charges were eventually dropped.