Charges dropped against Carl Pelini after wife refuses to testify

A domestic violence charge against football coach Carl Pelini has been dropped.

On Friday, Judge Molly Johnson of Mahoning County Court in Ohio dismissed the charge after Pelini’s wife, Julie, refused to testify.

“These are two adults who have to deal with their own circumstances,” said Michael McBride, the assistant prosecutor on the case.

The original judge, Joseph Houser of Boardman county, recused himself from the case, allowing Johnson to step in.

Johnson said she “doesn’t like to dismiss these kind of cases so quickly. But the decision was made after hearing the facts and circumstances, and talking with the Boardman police, the victim’s advocate and the prosecution,” per The Vindicator, Youngstown’s daily paper.

Julie Pelini was not present in court on Friday, but Kevin Daley, Pelini’s attorney, issued a statement.

“This incident resulted from a verbal argument,” Daley said. “My client asked him to leave but then she grabbed him to stop him. Mr. Pelini never hit her… never intentionally struck her. This was a misunderstanding.”

Pelini’s wife reported a domestic violence incident at the couple’s home in Boardman, Ohio on Aug. 29. The two reportedly got into a physical altercation, and Pelini then left the house. Police found Pelini’s wife with a black eye and blood on the kitchen floor, resulting in her being taken to the hospital.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge on Aug. 31 and posted his $2,500 bond.

Pelini has coached at multiple levels all across the country

Pelini just began his second year as head coach at Cardinal Mooney High School in Youngstown. He has been placed on administrative leave. Pelini is the younger brother of former Nebraska coach Bo Pelini.

Pelini has a long history in college football, serving as a graduate assistant at Kansas State and Nebraska and aa a defensive assistant coach at Minnesota State, Ohio, Nebraska and Youngstown State.

He served as Florida Atlantic’s head coach from 2012-2013 and resigned from FAU following an allegation of illegal drug use. The Owls went 5-15 and won just three conference games in his two-year stint.

After teaching at a Nebraska community college for a year, he returned to college football in 2015, rejoining his brother, this time at Youngstown State. He remained at Youngstown State until 2018 when he joined the Bowling Green coaching staff. When previous head coach Mike Jinks was fired, Pelini was named interim head coach.

He most recently served at the college level as Youngstown State’s defensive coordinator in 2019.