Cincinnati Reds pitcher Matt Latos, center, and his wife Dallas, right, touring the Reds museum in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/The Cincinnati Enquirer, Michael E. Keating)
by Joe Mandak
Associated Press Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh police say they’re not filing charges against a Pirates fan accused of punching and pulling the hair of Cincinnati Reds pitcher Mat Latos’ wife during the National League wild-card game.
Sgt. John Fisher says police broke up an argument involving Dallas Latos and other Cincinnati and Pirates fans at a bar inside PNC Park during the Pirates’ 6-2 win Tuesday night.
Fisher says Latos can file a private criminal complaint, which must be vetted by a county prosecutor, but that police consider the incident closed.
Fisher says five Pirates’ fans and two women in Latos’ group were ejected, but that no arrests were made.
Fisher says all involved were drinking and that Latos’ group had left an area reserved for players’ wives before the argument began.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.
Police were investigating claims by the wife of Cincinnati Reds pitcher Mat Latos that she was attacked and her hair was pulled by a fan during the National League wild-card game.
Dallas Latos tweeted that she was “punched in the head at least three times” by a Pirates fan at PNC Park. She later claimed her hair was pulled, writing “I’m ‘fine’ but my head hurts. Never swung back bc I was trying to protect myself.”
Latos also claimed that ballpark security didn’t properly intervene.
“Just know that security knew I had been threatened multiple times (not even wearing Cincy gear), chose not to take action & I got attacked,” Latos tweeted.
Pittsburgh police spokeswoman Diane Richard said police were investigating Latos’ claims but said she couldn’t confirm specific details. So far, no one has been charged, she said, but police planned a news conference later Wednesday.
A Pirates spokesman did not immediately return a request for comment.
On Twitter, Latos said she was watching the game from the Budweiser Bowtie Bar, a lounge located near the ballpark’s right field foul pole. She contends a fan insulted another Reds’ player’s grandmother, and that he called Latos a name when she asked him to stop.
Instead, the situation escalated when a woman with the fan grabbed Latos’ hair and punched her three times in the head, according to Latos’ tweets.
The Reds lost to the Pirates 6-2.
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