A sheriff has been charged with assault after allegedly hitting a teenage girl while trying to break up a fight during a high school basketball game in eastern Kentucky, police said.

Owsley County Sheriff Brent Lynch, 47, is also part of Owsley County High School’s coaching staff and intervened in a Dec. 3 fight during a girls’ basketball game at Perry County Central High School, Kentucky State Police said in a statement.

Trooper Matthew Gayheart told news outlets Lynch is alleged to have rushed the floor during the fight between players and struck a Perry County Central player while breaking up the fight.

An investigation led to a warrant being issued Tuesday charging Lynch with fourth-degree assault, police said. Lynch was arrested Thursday by an Owsley County sheriff’s deputy and booked into the Three Forks Regional Jail in Lee County, the statement said.
It was not immediately clear whether he has an attorney. None was listed in online jail records.

Owsley County Schools Superintendent Tim Bobrowski told news outlets Lynch has been suspended for one game and both teams have suspended four student-athletes for two games.