A New Jersey superintendent was arrested and charged with assault earlier this week after he allegedly punched a woman during a late-night altercation at the Jersey Shore, according to multiple reports.
Douglas J. Petty, 46, the superintendent of Lodi Public Schools outside New York City, was taken into custody around 1:20 am on Sunday (Aug. 28) in the beach town of Seaside Heights when a patrol officer spotted an apparent fight on a sidewalk, NJ.com reported.
According to the affidavit of probable cause obtained by NJ.com, the officer allegedly first saw Petty punch a woman in the face and then saw Petty “on top of another man.”
Petty, who was released from custody on Monday, has pleaded not guilty and attended Wednesday night’s meeting of the Lodi Board of Education, during which the incident was not discussed, NorthJersey.com reported.
Lodi is about 15 miles from Manhattan. There are seven schools in the district. According to Petty’s bio on the district’s website, he has been a public educator for 17 years, having worked as both a teacher and a principal. Petty has also been active on social media since the incident, posting about student orientation and traffic issues.
— Dr. Douglas J. Petty (@LodiSupt) September 1, 2022
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