Carl Pelini sits with his daughter awaiting the beginning of his hearing Friday in a Canfield courtroom. ....Staff photo / Guy Vogrin

CANFIELD — Domestic violence charges have been dismissed against Cardinal Mooney football coach Carl Pelini.

At a hearing Friday, Judge Molly Johnson of Mahoning County Court dismissed the charge after assistant Prosecutor Michael McBride said Pelini’s wife has refused to testify.

Also, Julie Pelini agreed to have the charges against her husband dropped, the prosecutor said.

“These are two adults who have to deal with their own circumstances,” McBride told the judge.

Johnson, who was hearing the case after Judge Joseph Houser of the county court in Boardman recused himself, 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.

Pelini’s wife was not present in court to speak, but her attorney Kevin Daley made a statement.

“This incident resulted from a verbal argument. 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,” Daley said.

Pelini was accused of domestic violence after an early Sunday incident led to an arrest warrant. Pelini turned himself in to Boardman police at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday and was arraigned in Mahoning County Court at Boardman. He was free after posting $2,500 bond on the misdemeanor charge.

According to a police report, officers were called to Pelini’s home in the 8400 block of Ivy Hill Drive, Boardman, after the children in the house called 911.

He was tracked using an iPhone application and was found to be driving on Interstate 76 near Lake Milton at 3:14 a.m. The report states he left in a white Ford Escape.

Pelini, who did not speak in court, was accompanied by his family members, including his children and brother, former YSU football coach Bo Pelini.

Pelini’s attorney Lynn Maro said she had reviewed all the evidence and was convinced her client never struck his wife.

“This was an argument that lasted from about 11 p.m. to about 2:30 in the morning,” Maro said.

Maro said the dismissal was “the appropriate outcome” for her client, who now has to go through a difficult recovery process.

“Even with this dismissal, people will continue to judge him, and this is wildly unfair,” she said.

Pelini had been suspended by Cardinal Mooney shortly after the charges were filed.

Maro said Pelini and his family will need to regroup to figure out their paths forward. She would not speculate on his future coaching plans.

gvogrin@tribtoday.com