Wayne Hills Football Player Waives 1st Court Appearance

Andrew Monaghan has waived his first apperance in municipal court on another arrest that could jeopardize his participation in a special probation program, NorthJersey.com has reported.

Monaghan was scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.

Monaghan is one of the nine  football players charged with aggravated assault stemming from an incident at a party last October. 

He was charged with disorderly conduct at a party earlier this month.

Monaghan interfered with a police officer who was investigating a noise complaint at the party, Wayne Police Chief John Reardon previously said.

An officer was trying to interview an individual at the residence when Monaghan allegedly encouraged the person to not give the officer his name and urged him to shut the door on the officer, Reardon said. Monaghan was warned three times to stop and was arrested after the third time, Reardon said. He was released on a summons. 

The charge carries a maximum sentence of 30 days in jail and a $500 fine.

Monaghan, 18, the only adult at the time the charges were filed, entered pre-trial intervention, a probationary-like program, earlier this year that granted him special probation in the case against him.

Reardon said the incident has nothing to do with any previous incident Monaghan was invovled in. He said he wasn't sure if the matter would have any affect on Monaghan's pre-trial intervention. 

The nine players were charged after  two  students after Halloween party in October 2011.

Seven of the players pleaded guilty to simple assault and were  earlier this year.

The Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office  against then-team captain Troy Zaffino earlier this year. Zaffino graduated Hills in June.

The players were allowed to participate in the team’s first two state playoff games last season. The Board of Education  from participating in the state championship game, and all extracurricuar activities, for the rest of last school year. An administrative law judge  a few days later, after the players applied for emergent relief to have the ban lifted.

Hills  on a late touchdown to win the state championship in early December.

The incident generated a firestorm of controversy for the school district, the team, and its coach, Chris Olsen.

Residents in town were often divided on how they thought Olsen, who was also the Wayne Hills’ athletic director when the incident occurred, and district officials handled the situation.

The incident prompted administrators to  that prohibits athletic directors and other administrators from coaching sports teams. However, the board  as athletic director. Olsen will return to coach the team, and his son Kevin, a nationally-acclaimed quarterback, next season.

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