A college student from Georgia has been arrested and charged with battery after allegedly attacking a runner during a high school cross-country race in Coweta County.
Authorities were called to a location near Sewell Road in Newnan, Georgia, on September 26, following a 911 call reporting an assault at a high school cross-country competition. Witnesses told police that a man wearing an East Coweta High School cross-country jersey emerged from the woods carrying rocks. According to police, the man charged at a runner, shoved him, and struck him with his fists.
The runner defended himself, resulting in the suspect sustaining a visible cut above his right eye. The suspect then fled back into the woods. Body camera footage later captured the suspect, identified as Aiden Dombroski, surrendering to police in a nearby parking lot. Officers rendered aid to Dombroski before booking him into Coweta County Jail.
An East Coweta High School cross-country jersey was reportedly found in the suspect's car during a police search. Dombroski, a 19-year-old Newnan resident, initially denied punching the runner, claiming the incident was a joke, a statement disputed by the victim and witnesses.
Lieutenant Josh Jordan stated that the incident suggested premeditation, noting it was unusual for someone to travel a significant distance to attend a high school meet, wear an opposing team's jersey, and attack a student. A spokesperson for Coweta County described the event as "bizarre."
Police reported that Dombroski is a student at the University of Georgia. He reportedly drove from Athens on Friday night and slept in his car before carrying out the alleged attack on Saturday morning. While he wore an East Coweta High School jersey, he did not attend the school. He previously competed in cross-country for Northgate High School before graduating a year prior.
The event, known as the Coweta Cup, is a notable local cross-country competition involving runners from all three Coweta County High Schools.