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Hernando Today

Student Accused Of Attacking Teacher

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By KYLE MARTIN, Hernando Today

Published: February 6, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - A West Hernando Middle School student is accused of grabbing his teacher by the throat and threatening to punch him.

The teenager also faces drug charges after authorities say he emptied his pockets of marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine.

The incident occurred with the start of classes on Monday, when the 14-year-old, who is not being named because of his age, refused to do a learning exercise.

The student wandered around the classroom and launched a profanity-laced tirade when his teacher instructed him to return to his seat.

As the other students filed out for breakfast, the suspect attempted to follow them and the teacher confronted him by the doorway.

When the teacher placed a hand on the student's shoulder to steer him back into the classroom, the student allegedly grabbed the teacher by the throat and raised a fist.

"Get your ... hands off me before I knock your punk ... out," the suspect reportedly said.

Another teacher hurried over and together they were able to escort the teen back into the classroom.

The school resource officer then brought the 14-year-old to his office for an interview in the presence of the suspect's mother. The suspect claimed that the teacher slammed him into the wall, but the evidence did not support that.

After hearing the different sides of the story, Deputy Harold Hutchinson decided he had grounds to arrest the suspect on suspicion of battery on a school employee.

He asked the teen to empty his pockets, so the suspect unloaded a black knit glove holding marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine, according to a report.

The student was charged for the drugs, too.

Reporter Kyle Martin can be reached at 352-544-5271 or kmartin@hernandotoday.com.

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