National Roundup

California Teacher, students arrested in hazing investigation FONTANA, Calif. (AP) -- A masonry teacher and four students have been arrested on allegations that attempted sodomy was part of a brutal hazing in masonry classes at a Southern California summer school, according to police. Three boys were attacked in separate incidents in the classroom of teacher Emmanuel De La Rosa at A.B. Miller High School, Fontana police Sgt. Robert Morris said. One 18-year-old student -- Fernando Salgado -- is being investigated for child cruelty, assault with intent to commit mayhem or rape and attempted sodomy. De La Rosa, 27, may have directed the students to carry out one of the assaults, Morris said. "They would assault the other kids to basically maintain order in the classroom on their own," Morris said. "The teacher at some point became aware of the situation, and knew about what was occurring and in one incident may have actually directed them to do it." One of the victims suffered minor injuries. Morris declined to detail the nature of the assaults, citing the ongoing investigation. De La Rosa was arrested Saturday for investigation of child cruelty and has been placed on administrative leave. Three other students arrested were minors. De La Rosa, who was released Sunday, could not be immediately reached for comment. Nor could Salgado, who is being held on $100,000 bail. Salgado's sister, Krista Hernandez, said police came to her house over the weekend looking for her brother. She found him with friends and they went to the police station together to see if they could answer officers' questions when he was arrested. Hernandez, 28, said he was in shock when she told him about the allegations Monday. "He started to cry to me saying he didn't do these things, and all he wants is to come home," Hernandez said, adding that he needs to finish coursework during summer school to graduate from high school. Hernandez said she believes the allegations will eventually be dropped against her brother and speculated they might stem from horseplay that got out of hand when someone got hurt. "He's definitely a jokester, he's definitely someone who might mess around here and there, crack jokes in class, probably things a lot of kids do but nothing in the nature of what they're saying," she said. The probe began Friday when a victim reported one of the incidents to the Fontana school police, who referred the case to the city's police department. The school has assigned an assistant principal to take De La Rosa's place for the last week of a five-week summer session, and professional counselors have been sent to the campus about 50 miles east of Los Angeles, said Fontana Unified superintendent Cali Olsen-Binks. "We're all taken aback, most definitely," she said, adding that the teacher was very popular with students at the school. De La Rosa, a trained bricklayer, did his apprenticeship and worked at Winegardner Masonry in the nearby town of Yucaipa, said Julie Salazar, the company president. He left the company four years ago to become a teacher, she said. "He always was a respectful person, so it comes as beyond a shock," Salazar said. "That doesn't reflect anything at all about how we knew him here." No charges had been filed in the case as of Monday. De La Rosa was expected to appear in court Wednesday, said Christopher Lee, a spokesman for the San Bernardino County district attorney's office. Pennsylvania Man jailed in standoff fueled by BB gun MEADVILLE, Pa. (AP) -- A northwestern Pennsylvania man is jailed on assault, endangerment and other charges in connection with a police standoff prompted by a pump-action BB gun that police say looked like a shotgun. Meadville police responded about 5:45 p.m. Sunday when two men reported that 47-year-old Anthony Dupont taunted them from his porch and then cocked the gun as though he planned to fire it. When police responded and knocked on Dupont's apartment door he didn't answer. Fearing a confrontation, police evacuated other units in the building and eventually persuaded Dupont to surrender during a telephone call. Online court records don't list an attorney for Dupont who is also charged with public drunkenness. He remained in the Crawford County Jail Tuesday unable to post $50,000 bond and faces a preliminary hearing July 5. California State Supreme Court OKs future technology rules SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The California Supreme Court says regulators may require pollution controls on future technologies that don't exist. The Los Angeles Times says Monday's unanimous decision is a victory for air pollution agencies that set standards intended to spur the development of new, greener technology. Paint manufacturers had sued the South Coast Air Quality Management District over standards that limited the use of pollution-causing substances in paints and other coatings. The suit said rules should rely on the best available technology. But the court rejected that argument, saying air pollution agencies may require pollution controls based on technologies that do not exist but may be reasonably anticipated. Arkansas Judge won't dismiss suit over Dirksmeyer case LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- A federal judge has refused to dismiss a civil lawsuit filed against Russellville investigators by the boyfriend of slain beauty queen Nona Dirksmeyer. U.S. District Judge James Moody made the ruling Monday in a suit filed by Kevin Jones against Russellville police detective Mark Frost and former Russellville Police Chief James Bacon. Police arrested Jones after Dirksmeyer's 2005 death and prosecutors charged him with murder. A jury later acquitted Jones. Jones' attorney tells the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that he's pleased with the ruling. An attorney for Frost says it's unusual for a judge to grant a motion for dismissal and that he'll present evidence to dispute Jones' claims. Bacon's attorney declined to comment. The case is set for trial Feb. 13. Published: Wed, Jun 27, 2012