Court reinstates felony assault charge against high school soccer player

GOSHEN – The Appellate Division of State Supreme Court has reinstated a charge of second-degree assault against a former high school soccer player after an Orange County Court judge dismissed it.

The case involved an incident after a Wallkill-Cornwall girls’ soccer game in October 2006. As girls from both teams shoot hands following the game, Jasmin Crespi of Wallkill allegedly punched a girl from the other team in the face.

She was charged with felony assault, but County Court Judge Robert Freehill dismissed the charge.

The appellate court, though, said the county court should have first provided notice to the state attorney general, as required by law.

The case has been returned to county court and District Attorney Frank Phillips said it is now back to square one in the case.

“We’ve won a procedural victory. The question is now what the judge may do. He may bring in the attorney general and form the same decision or there may be another way to dispose of the case,” he said.

The injured student suffered a broken jaw as a result of the attack, said Phillips.