Witness says northern Ont. woman was hit by a cowbell during hockey mom fight

A woman who spoke to CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca and asked to remain anonymous said she was at the Marcel and Jane Labbé Arena in Sturgeon Falls with her kids on Saturday when the altercation happened. (File)

CTV News has learned more about the incident at a northern Ontario minor league hockey game that escalated from a verbal fight between two moms to assault charges.

A woman who spoke to CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca and asked to remain anonymous said she was at the Marcel and Jane Labbé Arena in Sturgeon Falls with her kids on Saturday when the altercation happened.

During the U18 game between the Markstay-Warren Wolves and Don's Butcher Shop West Nipissing Stings, one of the moms from the Stings team allegedly started 'chirping' the other team, making comments about how it took them four years to finally beat them.

The Wolves won 5-1.

"The victim is known to cause verbal altercations during her children's hockey games," the witness said.

"The 'victim' harassed the opposing team the whole last period and was told repeatedly to quiet down and leave them alone."

Fans from Markstay-Warren asked her to stop and leave them alone, she said.

Things became physical when one of the Wolves' moms hit the woman with a cowbell.

On Tuesday, Ontario Provincial Police Const. Rob Lewis said he couldn't confirm the weapon used, but described it as a handheld solid object and not a knife.

Officers were called to the arena on O'Hara Street shortly before 1:30 p.m. March 2 and the victim reported minor injuries as a result of the fight.

As a result, a 40-year-old Markstay-Warren woman has been charged with assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm and mischief by destroying or damaging property.

She is scheduled to appear in court April 4 in North Bay.

CTV News reached out to both hockey leagues for comment and is awaiting a response.

The parent CTV News spoke to said the league requires one parent for each player to take the Respect in Sports course.

Last month, a 50-year-old Sudbury police officer and minor hockey coach was charged in Espanola with threatening and assaulting a 12-year-old player from an opposing team.

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