Father charged after tackling son's opponent at high school wrestling match



KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (WGHP) - A father was arrested and charged after he rushed and tackled a high school wrestler during a match, according to a Kannapolis Police Department news release.

Barry Lee Jones, of Harrisburg, was arrested on Saturday. He was charged with simple assault and disorderly conduct.

The teen he tackled was from Southeast Guilford High School and was wrestling Jones' son, who is a student from Hickory Ridge High School, the release says.

Jones was processed at the Cabarrus County Jail and received a $1,000 secured bond.

The SGHS student was reportedly not injured.

The expert on the mat at the time of the incident gave the hand signals to call the SGHS student athlete's move as illegal, according to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.

The Southeast Guilford High School wrestling coach and principal declined to comment.

WGHOP has reached out to Guilford County Schools for comment but has yet to hear back.