Wisconsin teen charged after dodgeball game turns violent

 A teen from Maiden Rock, Wisconsin, was charged with a felony after a high school dodgeball game took a violent turn.

Jacob Sigler, 18, was charged with one count of substantial battery in connection with the Oct. 11 incident at Ellsworth High School. 

According to the criminal complaint filed back in December, Sigler punched another student in the head after a game of dodgeball.

The victim and his mother reported the incident to police. The then 16-year-old told police that during gym class, Sigler and three other boys were throwing balls at him. He then threw one back at Sigler.

He said that he and Sigler hadn’t had issues in the past.

After Sigler ran out of balls, he “closed his fist and punched [the victim] in the face,” knocking him to the ground.

According to the victim’s mother, a CT scan revealed that he sustained a facial fracture.

In an interview with police, Sigler said the game was “a friendly fight, just a competitive game of dodgeball,” and that he was struck in the face with a ball thrown by the victim. He said that the victim was about two or three feet away from him when he threw the ball, so he thought that was excessive, according to the complaint.

"I’m not his best friend, but I know him, and I don’t have a problem with him, not until then,” Sigler told police. “Just at that moment, I had a problem with him."

Sigler said he thought the victim was going to tackle him, so he hit him.

His first court appearance is on Feb. 3.