Evergreen Park Little League coach arrested

WLS logo
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Evergreen Park Little League coach arrested
Chris Janes is apologizing after he was arrested Monday night for disorderly conduct and assault.

EVERGREEN PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- The Evergreen Park coach whose tip led to the Jackie Robinson West Little League team losing its national title is in legal trouble.

Chris Janes now faces misdemeanor charges that could get him banned from Little League baseball. He is charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct, assault, resisting arrest and public intoxication.

"I'm ashamed of it and I'm embarrassed by it," Janes said.

Janes says he was over-served and his actions were over the top. Just after 1 a.m. Tuesday, a woman reported she was chased up to her home by a man who beat on the door, shouted obscenities and got into an altercation with her husband. Janes says he thought it was his house.

"They live on the next block in the same identical-looking house," he said. "It was late. I pulled up and scared the heck out of them and I'm awfully, awfully sorry."

When Evergreen Park police arrived, officers say Janes was belligerent and resisted arrest.

"I'm awfully, awfully sorry to the neighbor and to the police. It's highly embarrassing," Janes said.

It was Janes' tip, then prodding, that led Little League International to look into whether some Jackie Robinson West players lived outside of league boundaries. The team lost its title and JRW's coach was banned. Rules are rules, Janes argued at the time.

ABC7's Ben Bradley asks: "Should you still be allowed to coach and be a part of Little League?"

Janes: "That'll be something the board will have to address."

Bradley: "Are you worried?"

Janes: "I am. I'm concerned. I made an awful mistake and I'm embarrassed and I should pay the consequences"

A member of the Evergreen Park Little League board refused to speak to ABC7 on Tuesday night.

On Wednesday, a spokesman for Little League baseball says the charges will not affect Janes' participation as a coach.