Detention hearings begin over Harding High melee

An internal probe of the fight is being conducted.

By Ed Runyan

WARREN — Eight juveniles face misdemeanor charges including rioting, assault, resisting arrest, criminal trespassing and failure to disperse for their role in the melee last week at Harding High School.

Stanley Elkins, an assistant Trumbull County prosecutor and chief of the juvenile division, said detention hearings were conducted Wednesday morning for two of the suspects so far. A detention hearing determines whether the court should keep the juvenile in custody pending the outcome of the case.

Aaron Schwab, spokesman for the school district, said a nonemployee of the school district had begun to conduct an internal investigation and that one expulsion hearing was Friday. He refused to comment further.

One of the juveniles has been in custody since the Sept. 1 incident and soon will have a plea hearing, Elkins said.

Police took four juveniles into custody between 3 and 3:45 p.m. that day on charges related to the fight. They were arrested at locations on Hamilton Street Southwest, Mahoning Avenue Northwest, Laird Avenue Southeast and North Park Avenue Northwest.

Elkins had no information on the court proceedings against those four other than their first proceeding would be a detention hearing.

Three other juveniles are being charged but will be allowed to appear in court on their own rather than stay in custody, officials say.

None of the eight has been convicted or sentenced, Elkins said, adding that one of them is a female charged only with a minor misdemeanor of failure to disperse.

The other charges carry penalties of up to 90 days in juvenile detention each. Several of the teens are charged with as many as five offenses, Elkins said.

No additional charges are likely against any of the approximately 40 other youths who police believe also were fighting that afternoon, Elkins said, adding that there were no video cameras in place in the areas of the parking lot where the fighting took place.

A witness living on Atlantic Street Northeast said 300 to 400 students were in the parking lot while fighting was occurring. Police said the fighting took place among five “pockets” of about 10 juveniles each. One pocket was in a parking lot across Elm Road from the school.

Police said the 2:15 p.m. incident began with a vehicle entering the parking lot near Elm Road and a nonstudent getting out and fighting with a Harding student.

A second juvenile then wrapped his shirt around his hand and broke out two of the car’s windows.

The second juvenile fought with a school resource officer and was repeatedly shocked with a stun gun before he came under control.

Another juvenile who resisted police had to be shocked with a stun gun before he could be arrested, police said. During that arrest, the school resource officer’s gun and holster were ripped from his belt and recovered by a Warren police officer.

runyan@vindy.com