Board session assault probed

March 7, 2008 at 1:20a.m.

Police are still investigating the matter.

BROOKFIELD — School board members took a disagreement to a level beyond mere words.

Township police are now trying to determine who is at fault in an altercation that ended in a slapping and calls for police intervention.

Police Chief Daniel Faustino said the investigation continues.

“There was a report of an assault in the executive session of [Wednesday] night’s school board meeting. We are meeting with the prosecutor and investigating the matter,” he said.

Faustino said there were five school board members present in the executive session when the incident took place.

Board member Ronald Brennan told officers that members of the board were in disagreement over specific issues in relation to new board candidates when things became heated. Reports said Brennan admitted that in the heat of the argument, he called member Joseph Pasquerilla a “dictator” and a “son of a b----.”

In his statement to police, Brennan said that Pasquerilla stood up and approached him, so he stood up as well.

Then, he said, Pasquerilla slapped him on the left side of his face. Brennan added that the slap knocked his cell phone out of his hand, causing the plastic belt carrier to break.

Pasquerilla, in his statement to police, said the events took place as Brennan explained — except that Brennan stood first. He said he was struck by Brennan with a forearm to his chest and that he only struck back in self-defense.

Brennan denied pushing Pasquerilla. He showed police how his arms were extended in an attempt to put space between himself and Pasquerilla. He stated that Pasquerilla was so close to him that Pasquerilla was pushing his chest against him.

Two other board members present in the executive session — Timothy Filipovich and Dean Fisher — both declined to give written statements to police.

Faustino said police would be speaking to those board members as witnesses.

Pasquerilla was reached by phone Thursday but said he had no comment on the matter.

Calls to Brennan’s home were not returned.

jgoodwin@vindy.com