Utah Man Arrested for Alleged Assault During Pickleball Game Over Clothing

A Utah man has been arrested after allegedly assaulting a woman due to her “revealing clothing” during a pickleball game, according to a report.

Officers raced to Vernon Worthen Park in the southwestern city of St. George on June 4 after a caller claimed that she had been assaulted.

According to court documents obtained by ABC4, the victim told law enforcement officers that the man had become aggressive while the pair played pickleball.

In the documents, the woman alleges she had been slapped twice on the thigh, leaving red marks. She alleged that it was because wearing revealing clothing.

Following the incident, the woman tried to leave the park because she felt uncomfortable. However, the man allegedly grabbed her hair and pulled her hair back before slapping her buttocks, the records state.

After the incident, the man allegedly sent the victim a text apologizing for his behavior, the documents allege.

The man has been booked on one count of sexual battery and one count of assault, according to records from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

Pickleball is a racket sport involving either two or four players. It is played on a smaller court than tennis and uses a solid paddle, as well as a lightweight ball.

On the other hand, tennis uses larger stringed rackets and heavier felt balls.

USA Pickleball reported that it had grown to 104,828 members nationwide last year, with Forbes dubbing the game “one of the fastest-growing sports in America.”​

The Independent has contacted the St. George Police Department and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office for comment.