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FOXBORO - To police, Todd Kobus was tackling New England Patriots linebacker Junior Seau on the Gillette Stadium sideline on Sunday.

However, Kobus, an Iraq war National Guard veteran from Attleboro, is "a big Junior Seau fan, and wanted to give him a hug," his attorney, John Gaffney Jr. of Dedham, said Monday.

"It was an impulsive thing. He just stepped onto the field," Gaffney said. "I think he expected he would be removed from the game, but not arrested."

Instead, police arrested Kobus and charged him with trespassing and assault and battery in the incident, which happened during the fourth quarter of Sunday's 47-7 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Kobus, 31, of 189 Clifton St. in Attleboro, jumped over a 6 or 7-foot high wall separating the stands from the field and then tackled Seau, Foxboro Deputy Police Chief John Chandler said. Chandler said "we didn't ask" why Kobus tackled Seau.

Kobus pleaded not guilty during his arraignment in Wrentham District Court Monday.

He was released on personal recognizance. Judge Warren Powers continued the case until Feb. 17 for a pre-trial hearing, Gaffney said.

Patriots spokesman Stacey James said the team has revoked the ticket Kobus used.

Gaffney said Kobus and his wife were attending with another couple, whom he believed got the tickets from a third party.

"He already feels bad about this because the owner of the tickets might lose them," Gaffney said.

On his own initiative, Kobus will write Seau, who is 6-feet, 3-inches tall and weighs 250 pounds, a letter of apology, "so hopefully, this will blow over quick," the attorney said.

Kobus is married, with a 1-year-old child, Gaffney said. He is a software engineer.

Kobus has no criminal criminal record, the attorney said.

Kobus also has served 10 years in the National Guard, Gaffney said. "He's kind of overwhelmed by the media attention," the attorney said.

Verizon does not have a telephone number for Kobus.

The Sun Chronicle profiled Kobus in a Jan. 21, 2007, story about Iraq veterans returning to civilian life.

At that time, Kobus, a National Guard intelligence specialist, was assigned to the 26th Brigade Combat team at Fort Devens. He also was a senior software engineer at Watters Inc.

He previously had spent most of a year in Kuwait and Iraq with the Rehoboth-based 42nd Division Artillery, which was then deactivated.

Kobus became known locally for a military blog he wrote, lostiniraq.com. The site was packed with pictures, videos and irreverent humor, and was widely read among the military and their families.

Kobus said in the 2007 report that after 18 months away from home, incidental pleasures such as a cup of Dunkin' Donuts coffee and driving his own car took on special meaning.

"It took a little longer than I expected to settle back into the routine, but I'm happy the way my life is going now," Kobus said at the time.

Still, Kobus said he was glad he went to Iraq, and called the time he spent together with his fellow soldiers "one of the best experiences I've had in my life."

He said he was not anxious to be deployed again, only because it would take more time away from his civilian life and career.

The Attleboro resident spoke to students at Case High School in Swansea in 2007 about his experiences.