A Lawrence firefighter must complete anger management counseling as part of a diversion agreement in connection with a confrontation with another man at a Free State High School band performance.

Daniel Clouse, 47, was issued a municipal court ticket for battery after another parent, Bob Mandell, didn’t take his hat off as the band played the national anthem Aug. 6.

Mandell told police that Clouse grabbed him by the neck and shook him, causing him some pain.

Days after he received the ticket, Clouse, a firefighter with Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical, disputed that he grabbed Mandell and said he wanted to get Mandell’s attention to tell him he should have removed his hat during the anthem.

Mandell said he had stood with his hand on his heart and forgot to remove his hat because he did not often attend football games and was not used to hearing the anthem. He said he didn’t mean to be disrespectful.

Clouse had been scheduled to appear Thursday in Lawrence Municipal Court, but court officials said the parties reached a diversion agreement. Clouse must abide by certain conditions for a year to get the charge dismissed.

According to the agreement, Clouse must:

• Write a letter of apology to Mandell.

• Complete an anger management evaluation and recommended treatment within six months.

• Must not violate any other laws in the next year, other than minor traffic infractions.

• Pay $253 for court costs and a diversion fee.

Mandell said he would have rather seen a conviction in the case but that he was OK with the diversion conditions.

“I want to see him come to repentance. I want to see him get help, and I want to make sure he doesn’t go do this to somebody else again,” said Mandell, who said he sought physical therapy for neck pain after the incident.

Neither Clouse nor his attorney, Mike Riling, could be reached for comment Thursday.