The argument

that led to a local youth basketball coach being cut by a knife is in

dispute by both the coaches and the referee who allegedly wielded the

knife.

Both sides

have told police different stories about how the situation escalated to

the point where referee Oliver Louis Wood, 46, of Newnan used the knife

to cut coach Jerry William Sweeney, 48, of Tyrone on the arm.

Wood has been

released on $50,000 bond. He is charged with aggravated assault and carrying

a weapon on school property.

The incident,

which occurred in the gym of Spring Hill Elementary School Tuesday evening,

occurred in front of several young children. It happened directly after

the end of a playoff game involving 7- and 8-year old children, and the

argument had something to do with the officiating of the game, police

said.

Lt. Tom Kirkbride

of the Fayetteville Police Department said police are receiving conflicting

statements about what happened. The matter is still under investigation,

he added.

The game was

being conducted by the Fayette County Youth Basketball Association, and

in a statement to local parents, FCYBA president Carlos Garza said the

association "will do whatever necessary to make sure this type of

situation will not happen again."

Kirkbride confirmed

that security guards are not employed by the association for these games.

Garza could not be reached for comment by press time.

"I am

appalled that a recreational activity such as this could have generated

such intense emotions that two adults became involved in a very dangerous

altercation," Garza said in the statement. "However, I wish

to assure all parents that our games remain safe and will continue to

be available to our kids so that they can enjoy a wholesome activity in

this county."

Wood was scheduled

to work the game by the South Atlanta Basketball Officials, which is run

missing games when his children played youth sports in Fayette County.

Sisk said Wood

was also a trained high school referee and received much training on how

to deal with irate coaches and parents. Sisk added that he wouldn't have

used Wood without knowing he was a competent referee.

"Situations

like this are very rare and also very unfortunate," Sisk said. "Usually,

it's the referee who ends up being attacked."

Wood is a minister

and substitute teacher and bus driver, Sisk added.

According to

police, the incident began after the game when Wood and an assistant coach

got into an argument. The assistant coach apparently wanted to fill out

a form to complain about the officiating during the game, Kirkbride said.

Sweeney tried

to break up the argument and got cut in the process, police said.

Wood left the

gym to dispose of the knife and was arrested without incident when he

came back inside, Kirkbride said. He also told police where the knife

was on a nearby playground, where a child could have found it, Kirkbride

added.

All games at

Spring Hill have been cancelled until further notice, according to the

FCYBA website.

Sweeney received

approximately 17-18 stitches to close the wound.

Although the

event was not held by the Fayette County School System, the schools offered

counseling to any students who witnessed the incident.