Bay Area District Attorney Mulls Charges Against Angels’ Polonia

An Alameda County district attorney will decide today whether claims by an 18-year-old spectator that he was struck by Angel outfielder Luis Polonia Thursday at the Oakland Coliseum warrant the filing of charges.

Polonia, 25, is on probation after his conviction on a misdemeanor charge of having sexual intercourse with a minor last year while he was with the New York Yankees.

A spokesman for the Oakland Police Dept. said Polonia “was involved in an altercation” with a fan at the ballpark and added that reports had been taken, but no arrest was made. The spokesman said an investigator would review the incident today and send his report to the district attorney, who will determine a course of action. He said he did not know the exact nature of the claims, which were taken at the Coliseum by Oakland Police Sgt. Earl Sargent.

According to Angel spokesman Tim Mead, Polonia allegedly slapped or pushed the fan after batting practice Thursday when he heard the youngster shout insults at him from the seats near the photographer’s well on the first-base side. Polonia allegedly reached over the railing and made contact with the boy, whose name was not made public.

Police took statements from Polonia, the boy and the boy’s father as well as from Angel catcher Lance Parrish and Manager Doug Rader and other witnesses. None commented on the incident because of the possibility of legal action. Polonia was in the Angels’ lineup Thursday and had two hits in six at-bats.