Police said a Father’s Day softball brawl at Waterways Park led to a felony charge.
AVENTURA, FL — A Miami-Dade man is facing a felony charge after police said he struck another adult softball player in the back of the head with a metal bat during a Father’s Day game at Waterways Park.
The case drew new attention after a family member of the injured player described the attack and said the victim, identified as William Rodriguez, is recovering. Police said the fight started as a dispute between teams and ended with Rodriguez taken to HCA Florida Aventura Hospital as a trauma alert patient.
Aventura police said the incident happened at about 9:30 a.m. Sunday during a softball league game at Waterways Park, 3310 NE 213th St. Investigators said a verbal dispute between teams turned into pushing and shoving involving several players. During the brawl, police said Roberto Araujo, 41, of Allapattah, grabbed a metal bat and hit Rodriguez in the back of the head. Ana Diaz Matthews, Rodriguez’s aunt, said the man came around the group holding a pink bat before swinging. “Willie was on the ground,” Diaz Matthews said. “He just swung as if he was hitting a baseball.”
Police said surveillance video from the park showed Araujo swinging the bat and striking Rodriguez, causing Rodriguez’s baseball cap to come off. Photos provided to a local television station showed injuries to the back of Rodriguez’s head. Medics took him to HCA Florida Aventura Hospital, where he was treated after being listed as a trauma alert patient. Officials have not released a full medical update, and the extent of Rodriguez’s injuries has not been made public. Diaz Matthews said the attack could have been fatal. “He deserves to be in jail because he almost killed someone,” she said.
The attack happened during an adult recreational game in a city park, a setting normally tied to weekend sports and family gatherings. Waterways Park sits in northeast Miami-Dade County and includes athletic fields used by local leagues. Police described the confrontation as a fight between multiple players, but they have not said what sparked the original argument. No other players were publicly identified as suspects. Authorities also have not said whether the league paused play after the attack or whether any city review of field rules, security or league conduct is underway.
Araujo was arrested on a charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Police said he fled after the strike, and Diaz Matthews said she was able to get his license plate number. Jail records listed him at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on Monday with bond to be set, but he was not listed among Miami-Dade County jail inmates by Tuesday afternoon. Court records available in the immediate aftermath did not show a detailed public schedule for the next hearing. It was not immediately clear whether Araujo had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
Diaz Matthews said the attack left Rodriguez’s relatives shaken because the fight unfolded so quickly during what began as a regular game. Her account matched the central claim in the arrest report that a player used a bat during the brawl. She said the image of Rodriguez on the ground stayed with her after the game. Police have not released the surveillance video publicly, and investigators have not said whether they expect more charges. The case now rests on witness statements, video evidence and medical records documenting the injury.
As of Wednesday, Rodriguez was recovering, and Araujo remained charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. The next milestone is the court process in Miami-Dade County, where prosecutors will review the arrest evidence and decide how the case proceeds.
Author note: Last updated June 24, 2026.