CHICAGO, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- An overzealous parent has been jailed for threatening an umpire overseeing a youth league softball game in suburban Chicago, authorities say.
A DuPage County judge has ordered 47-year-old Michael Beck to spend five nights in jail for threatening the unidentified umpire and then spitting twice on a police officer who arrived on scene, the Chicago Sun-Times said Wednesday.
The incident took place on July 13 as Beck's daughter was taking part in a softball game as part of her youth league.
Upset with one of the umpire's calls, the enraged father besieged the official with curses and threats.
After spitting on a responding sheriff's deputy, Beck was arrested and charged with felony aggravated battery. The charge carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.
But prosecutors agreed to allow Beck to plead guilty to lesser charges of misdemeanor battery and assault, resulting in Tuesday's lessened sentence.
The Sun-Times said Beck was also sentenced by Judge Peter Dockery to 40 hours of community service, two years of probation and was mandated to write letters of apology to his two victims.
