MT. PLEASANT, MI – A former Central Michigan University baseball player alleges he was physically assaulted by an assistant coach and retaliated against after reporting the incident.
Dean Brown filed a lawsuit against Central Michigan University and several school officials on Aug. 19 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Brown alleges he was assaulted by Aaron Hilt, an assistant coach on the Central Michigan University baseball team. Head Coach Jacob Sabol and Athletic Director Amy Folan are also named in the lawsuit.
During a game against Western Kentucky University on March 2, Brown was standing in between two teammates when Hilt approached him and raised a fist expecting a fist bump, according to the complaint.
Instead, the coach paused, looked at Brown and then punched him in the chest with a closed fist, according to the complaint.
The punch was strong enough to knock the wind out of Brown and cause him to fall backward, according to the complaint. A visible bruise formed on Brown’s chest.
Brown reported the alleged assault to Sabol on March 3. On March 17, the student-athlete reported the incident to Folan after meeting with Hilt, who downplayed the incident, according to the complaint.
Two days after reporting the incident to Folan, Brown pitched his final game at CMU. He was benched, according to the complaint.
A month later on April 18, according to the complaint, Brown sent teammate Liam Stumpf a Snapchat message that said, “time to die,” a hype-up mantra they took from a Guns n’ Roses song.
Stumpf reported the text to police as a threat, and two officers arrived at Brown’s dorm to question him about the message the next morning.
After the visit from police, an associate athletic director told Brown he was suspended from the team, according to the complaint.
In addition to the anxiety and stress the alleged assault caused, Brown lost an entire year of eligibility to play college baseball, according to the complaint.
Brown is seeking compensatory damages, attorney fees and costs and any other relief deemed just by the court.
The complaint alleges retaliation, violation of bodily integrity, assault and battery, negligence, negligent hiring and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Brown is being represented by Attorney Todd Flood.
When asked for comment on the lawsuit and assistant coach’s employment status, university communications officials provided the following statement: “CMU does not comment on pending litigation.”
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