Pitcher found guilty of injuring a spectator at base brawl in Dayton

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — A judge has convicted a minor-league pitcher of injuring a fan when he threw a baseball during an on-field melee in Dayton last year.

Connie Price of Montgomery County Common Pleas Court found Julio Castillo guilty today of felonious assault causing serious physical injury. He was acquitted on a second charge of felonious assault with a deadly weapon.

Castillo, 22, of the Dominican Republic, was pitching for the Peoria Chiefs against the Dayton Dragons when the bench-clearing brawl broke out. Castillo threw a ball that gave a fan a concussion.

During last month’s trial, Castillo testified that he threw the ball downward toward a dugout to try to keep opposing players from rushing the field. He says he was not aiming at anyone.