UPDATE – St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Statement on Fights at Lancaster Park:
On Sunday, August 20, 2023, at approximately 2:18pm fights involving bystanders erupted during a youth (U14) football game being held at the Lancaster Park in Lexington Park.
The initial response involved several police units from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office and Maryland State Police. The fights continued and officers deployed OC spray to stop the fighting and disperse the crowd.
Due to the size of the crowd and continued fighting, assistance was requested from the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office and Charles County Sheriff’s Office. The situation was brought under
control prior to their arrival, and they were canceled.
Investigation continues into the incident for possible criminal charges against the involved parties.
As of this date, there have been no arrests.
Anyone with information or video of the incident is asked to contact DFC Alvey #275 at 301-475- 4200 ext. 8107 or email her at [email protected]
UPDATE – Pax River Riders Statement on Fights at Lancaster Park:
The Pax River Riders sincerely apologizes for the unfortunate incident that occurred yesterday during our Raider Day event.
Our preparations for the day were meticulous. We ensured there were trained referees and enthusiastic volunteers to manage the fields and maintain control. For the 14U game, additional
resources were allocated to have additional trained referees. Our diligent volunteers and staff exhibited exemplary professionalism throughout the ordeal, consistently focusing on deescalation. Throughout the day, we successfully managed and completed five games across two different fields, hosted community outreach programs, and coordinated numerous vendors.
As always, our number one priority is providing a safe environment for our players, families, and fans. We deeply regret any distress caused and are committed to preventing such incidents in the future. We extend our sincere gratitude to the local police officers for their swift response and dedication in maintaining the safety of the patrons of the park. We also want to thank the many volunteers that assisted and put the kids’ safety ahead of your own. We will be working closely with the Parks and Recreation and the authorities to ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for all participants and spectators for many sporting events to come.
8/20/2023: On Sunday, August 20, 2023, a scrimmage football game day was hosted between the Pax River Raiders and Peppermill Pirates at the Lancaster Park in Lexington Park.
During one of the last games of the day, an altercation between a player from each team started, resulting in players and coaches from each sideline coming onto the field and attempting to end the incident.
Witnesses reported an adult from the Peppermill Pirates sideline assaulted a Pax River Raider player which resulted in a large disturbance and physical fight involving 50 to 200 subjects.
A deputy who was on scene during the entire incident broadcasted a Signal 13 (Officer needs help) at 2:23 p.m., which alerted any available unit to come assist.
Police from Charles and Calvert County were also requested to respond, and later canceled before their arrival.
Officers utilized pepper spray to end the altercations and began escorting everyone out of the park.
Emergency medical personnel was dispatched for injuries from an assault and placed on standby to stage away from the area. Multiple citizens and police officers were treated for pepper spray exposure. No patients were transported.
SMNEWSNET.COM asked the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office for a statement about the incident however they have yet to respond.
