SEYMOUR — A teacher at Platt Technical High School in Milford who also is a Seymour Board of Education member was arrested last weekend at a Yard Goats game on charges of disorderly conduct and trespassing after allegedly making crude comments to teenage staff members and then refusing to leave the park, according to police. 

John F. Hatfield, 40, of Seymour, was arrested alongside Frank Koshes, 57, an Orange resident and police sergeant in that town, on July 11. 

Hatfield was arraigned Thursday at Hartford Community Court. No plea was entered. 

Hatfield, a Republican, was last elected in November 2023 and was the top voter-getter, receiving 30% of the vote, according to the Secretary of the State's election website. 

Platt Technical High in Milford lists Hatfield as a social studies instructor. 

"We are aware of the arrest and are reviewing the matter in accordance with district policies. CTECS is taking this matter very seriously, however, because this is a personnel matter we cannot comment further, said Kerry Markey, spokesman for the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System.

When asked about Hatfield's job status, Markey said he is "not currently in a school building or interacting with students because it is summer break."

At the Yard Goats game against Binghamton Rumble Ponies, the Hartford park's head of security requested police assistance to handle reports that two men were "apparently intoxicated" and that one of them, Hatfield,  made inappropriate comments toward a group of juveniles, saying he would "bang" them. The underage girls were working at the Yard Goats' Team Store in the park, according to the police report. 

An employee saw one of the girls whisper, "help me," and later contacted security, the report said.

The two men later were told to leave the park at the request of security, but they refused, the report said. 

"I'm not going anywhere! I am not moving," the report said Koshes shouted at Hartford police who came to assist. "I am a police sergeant at Orange PD." 

Koshes then took out his cellphone and began recording and walking around inside the park aimlessly, according to police. 

People with Koshes and Hatfield eventually convinced them to leave the property and police escorted them to the sidewalk where Koshes placed his hand on the Hartford police sergeant following another confrontation, the report said. 

Hatfield is free on a promise to appear in court and is next due July 31.

July 17, 2026|Updated July 17, 2026 12:03 p.m.