Michael Vitar, a former actor and a current Los Angeles firefighter, was arrested and charged with assault last week, TMZ reported. Vitar is best known for his role as Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez in the classic 1993 baseball film "The Sandlot." His arrest and charges were confirmed on Tuesday by a LAPD spokesperson.
Vitar, 36, and two friends were involved in a physical altercation with a 22-year-old man on Halloween night, according to documents obtained by TMZ. The unnamed man was handing out candy to children in a Northwest L.A. neighborhood and the men chased and attacked the victim, according to the documents.
The former actor was taken into custody on Dec. 3 and was charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon, according to Variety. He was released on $30,000 bail. After his arrest, the Los Angeles Fire Department placed him on administrative leave with pay for as long as the case continues.
Fellow firefighter Eric Carpenter, 38, and 45-year-old pal Thomas Molnar were also taken into custody and charged with assault, according to NBC News. They both face assault charges as well, and Carpenter is also charged with personally inflicting great bodily injury, as he allegedly choked the victim.
Arthur Avazian, the attorney representing Molnar, said the case is still under review, but the men are good people who thought they were protecting the children in the neighborhood.
"They believed he posed a danger to children in the area by trying to pass out candy against the consent of the adults," Avazian told NBC News.
If convicted, Vitar and Molnar could face four years in prison, and Carpenter could face up to seven.
