Matt Thompson’s client and his wife now face felony charges after a pickleball argument escalated into a brawl at a country club in Port Orange, Florida, according to authorities. Court documents say the fight started during play over a rule governing where shots could be taken and then grew beyond the original match as more people joined in.
The affidavit says the couple was playing another married pair when the two teams began arguing about shots being made in the “kitchen,” a marked area on either side of the net. By the rule cited in the affidavit, players can only take a shot in that area once the ball has landed there; otherwise they must avoid it.
Authorities said the players exchanged insults during the dispute. The affidavit also describes the conflict worsening after the match ended, when the man insulted his male opponent’s wife, and the men then exchanged words.
According to the arrest affidavit, the 63-year-old man attacked his opponent after the verbal confrontation. The affidavit says he hit the opponent in the face with a paddle and then punched him on the ground before others became involved.
The affidavit says the confrontation expanded into a brawl, with as many as 20 players becoming involved. Investigators described the older victim as someone 65 or older, a factor that drove the felony charging language used in the case.
The man was charged Sunday with two counts of felony battery on a person 65 or older, and his 51-year-old wife was charged with a single count of felony battery on a person 65 or older, the affidavit said. Matt Thompson, an attorney for the man, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment, according to the Associated Press report.
The case is expected to proceed through the criminal process, where prosecutors will have to prove the charges based on the evidence presented in court.