Upper Arlington High School Choking Incident: Teen Faces Charges

(This article has been revised with further details.)

The Upper Arlington police apprehended and charged a member of the Upper Arlington boys’ swim team with felonious assault after he purportedly choked a teammate in December, resulting in serious injuries that required hospitalization.

As per Upper Arlington police, on Dec. 11, a 17-year-old participant of the swim team reportedly choked his teammate until the latter lost consciousness in the locker room. According to a police report, the suspect faced strangulation and felonious assault charges. The Dispatch typically does not disclose the identities of juvenile suspects or victims.

The police report indicates that the incident initiated when the suspect and the victim engaged in “the snail game” in the locker room, which involved a mock fist bump. The loser of the game “gets snailed.” When the victim declined to accept the penalty of losing, the suspect removed his belt and flicked it at the victim, as stated in the report.

The victim then challenged the suspect, saying, “hit me with it; you won’t,” and the suspect struck him with the belt, according to the report. The victim subsequently seized the belt, leading the suspect to place the victim in a chokehold. The victim retaliated by assaulting the suspect with the belt, prompting the suspect to tighten the chokehold until the victim became unconscious. The suspect then released him, causing the victim to fall and sustain injuries.

After the incident, numerous students fled the locker room in distress, and Upper Arlington swim coach Michael Debear discovered the victim lying on the floor with blood visible on his face.

The victim incurred significant injuries, including lost teeth, fractured bones, and internal damage, necessitating emergency medical care.

Authorities stated that the student has since been discharged from the hospital.

In an announcement, Upper Arlington Superintendent Robert Hunt remarked that federal and state privacy regulations restrict school districts from disclosing specific details about students, emphasizing, “this situation is under thorough investigation, and the applicable consequences from our student code of conduct will take effect.”

“Ensuring student safety is a paramount concern in Upper Arlington Schools – both during academic hours and during extracurricular activities,” Hunt added. “As needed, we collaborate with our associates at the Upper Arlington Police Division.”

Hunt also stated that Upper Arlington “is dedicated to fostering an educational, extracurricular, and occupational environment devoid of all types of unlawful harassment, discrimination, and hazing.”

Last winter, the boys’ swim team placed as OHSAA Division I state runner-up.

Cbehrens@dispatch.com

@Colebehr_report