Boy, 14, stable after beating

LEETONIA -- Nicholas Aratari, 14, of Leetonia, was in stable condition Thursday morning in Salem Community Hospital with head and facial injuries suffered in an assault at Leetonia High School, police said. Dane Walton, Columbiana County juvenile court director, said a 16-year-old boy will be held at the county juvenile detention center on felonious assault charges until a hearing at 10:15 a.m. Monday.
Leetonia Superintendent Tom Inchak said school officials cannot proceed with any disciplinary action until they interview the 16-year-old. He said school officials have not had any contact with the boy since police took him from the school Tuesday morning. Inchak said, however, that school officials consider the assault a very serious matter and it will be treated as such. He said the district has strict legal policies it must follow in such situations.
Leetonia Police Chief John Soldano said the assault occurred Tuesday morning in the boys' locker room at the conclusion of a gym class.
Soldano said he was called to the school about 9:30 a.m., and Leetonia Fire Department emergency medical services personnel and school officials were treating the 14-year-old, who was badly beaten and nearly unconscious. He said he's spoken to the victim, who identified his attacker and talked about the assault. Soldano said students who witnessed the assault were shocked, frightened and uncertain what to do, he said.