44INAROW
03-01-2005, 12:55 PM
someone emailed me this article.. from a RGV newspaper
sure will be interesting to see how this turns out.
Donna hazing scandal widens
February 25,2005
Cari Hammerstrom
The Monitor
DONNA — The Donna Redskins’ star quarterback, Derick Castillo, turned himself in Thursday for his alleged involvement in the hazing of an unknown number of underclassmen.
Castillo, an 18-year-old senior, turned himself in to Donna police around noon just as investigators were about finished drawing up the warrant for his arrest, said Donna school district Superintendent Joe D. Gonzalez.
"The parents took him themselves," Gonzalez said. "He was taken into custody."
Castillo is the third Donna High School student to be arrested in connection with the hazing of underclassmen, which, according to police and Gonzalez, began in August when some of the freshman boys were training with the varsity football team during the preseason. More hazing continued in September.
Reynaldo Magallanes, 18, and Jacob Leal, 17, were arrested Wednesday.
According to Donna police reports, a group of seniors took a freshman football player into the school’s locker room showers, where he was then allegedly sexually assaulted.
The seniors are accused of holding the boy on the ground and slapping his genitals.
The probable-cause affidavits for Castillo and Magallanes indicate they tried to pull down the victim’s shorts and put their latex-gloved fingers into his anus.
Police still do not know the exact number of how many freshmen may have been hazed.
Gonzalez said about four to five seniors might have been involved.
Although Gonzalez only confirmed that one victim — a freshman — had been identified, Donna High School principal Fernando Castillo said another student who was not a freshman came forward with information about an attempted sexual assault. The student attends Donna High School, not the separate W.A. Todd Ninth Grade Center. He, too, practiced with the alleged culprits during the summer.
"The kid’s traumatized," the principal said.
Details of their conversation will remain private.
Whether the hazing of at least two high schoolers is an isolated incident at Donna High School or perhaps a tradition is still unknown.
"I’m asking myself the same questions," Gonzalez said. "Those are questions that will be answered in the near future."
Gonzalez said the school district will not tolerate hazing. He also said that everything in this case, aside from the identities of the victims, will be public.
"I want to assure the community that we’re doing everything possible to bring it all out in the open," Gonzalez said.
Castillo, the principal, added, "We’re not going to cover up for anyone. Let the record reflect that. We will not stop. Regardless of how popular or how clean a record they had, they will be given the same treatment under the law."
Castillo, the quarterback, is quite popular and has never had behavior problems, the principal said. As an athlete, he was praised. He was an All-Valley preseason pick, and during the 2003 season, offensive coordinator Michael Burget is quoted in The Monitor as saying, "Castillo’s ability is phenomenal, and he’s the best quarterback that we have had here in a while."
Principal Castillo said the student body would likely take news of the quarterback’s arrest hard. The mood around the school regarding Leal’s and Magallanes’ arrests was dismal. The kids are tired of Donna High School’s reputation being tarnished, he said.
Donna High School’s athletics program has had its share of publicized ups and downs.
Castillo said he got on the intercom system Thursday morning to explain to the students what had happened.
"I told them while we come here to get an education, we are here to practice and instill society’s norms," he said. "Society will not tolerate acts of this nature. … I want them to understand just because you are in high school you can speak out and say, ‘that’s not right.’"
"This is never fun," Gonzalez said. "This is a big blow to our program. Don’t let it be a reflection of the program."
Thursday afternoon, Castillo and Magallanes went before Donna Municipal Court Judge Javier Garza to be formally arraigned. Each teen was charged with a Class A misdemeanor assault and two counts of attempted sexual assault, which are third-degree felonies. Garza set the bonds for both teens at $32,500 each.
Jacob Leal, who was also arrested yesterday, was not arraigned, but rather released to his parents because he was a 16-year-old juvenile when he allegedly committed the same offenses.
The investigation, which is a joint effort between Donna police and Donna school district police, is still ongoing.
Cari Hammerstrom covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4424.
sure will be interesting to see how this turns out.
Donna hazing scandal widens
February 25,2005
Cari Hammerstrom
The Monitor
DONNA — The Donna Redskins’ star quarterback, Derick Castillo, turned himself in Thursday for his alleged involvement in the hazing of an unknown number of underclassmen.
Castillo, an 18-year-old senior, turned himself in to Donna police around noon just as investigators were about finished drawing up the warrant for his arrest, said Donna school district Superintendent Joe D. Gonzalez.
"The parents took him themselves," Gonzalez said. "He was taken into custody."
Castillo is the third Donna High School student to be arrested in connection with the hazing of underclassmen, which, according to police and Gonzalez, began in August when some of the freshman boys were training with the varsity football team during the preseason. More hazing continued in September.
Reynaldo Magallanes, 18, and Jacob Leal, 17, were arrested Wednesday.
According to Donna police reports, a group of seniors took a freshman football player into the school’s locker room showers, where he was then allegedly sexually assaulted.
The seniors are accused of holding the boy on the ground and slapping his genitals.
The probable-cause affidavits for Castillo and Magallanes indicate they tried to pull down the victim’s shorts and put their latex-gloved fingers into his anus.
Police still do not know the exact number of how many freshmen may have been hazed.
Gonzalez said about four to five seniors might have been involved.
Although Gonzalez only confirmed that one victim — a freshman — had been identified, Donna High School principal Fernando Castillo said another student who was not a freshman came forward with information about an attempted sexual assault. The student attends Donna High School, not the separate W.A. Todd Ninth Grade Center. He, too, practiced with the alleged culprits during the summer.
"The kid’s traumatized," the principal said.
Details of their conversation will remain private.
Whether the hazing of at least two high schoolers is an isolated incident at Donna High School or perhaps a tradition is still unknown.
"I’m asking myself the same questions," Gonzalez said. "Those are questions that will be answered in the near future."
Gonzalez said the school district will not tolerate hazing. He also said that everything in this case, aside from the identities of the victims, will be public.
"I want to assure the community that we’re doing everything possible to bring it all out in the open," Gonzalez said.
Castillo, the principal, added, "We’re not going to cover up for anyone. Let the record reflect that. We will not stop. Regardless of how popular or how clean a record they had, they will be given the same treatment under the law."
Castillo, the quarterback, is quite popular and has never had behavior problems, the principal said. As an athlete, he was praised. He was an All-Valley preseason pick, and during the 2003 season, offensive coordinator Michael Burget is quoted in The Monitor as saying, "Castillo’s ability is phenomenal, and he’s the best quarterback that we have had here in a while."
Principal Castillo said the student body would likely take news of the quarterback’s arrest hard. The mood around the school regarding Leal’s and Magallanes’ arrests was dismal. The kids are tired of Donna High School’s reputation being tarnished, he said.
Donna High School’s athletics program has had its share of publicized ups and downs.
Castillo said he got on the intercom system Thursday morning to explain to the students what had happened.
"I told them while we come here to get an education, we are here to practice and instill society’s norms," he said. "Society will not tolerate acts of this nature. … I want them to understand just because you are in high school you can speak out and say, ‘that’s not right.’"
"This is never fun," Gonzalez said. "This is a big blow to our program. Don’t let it be a reflection of the program."
Thursday afternoon, Castillo and Magallanes went before Donna Municipal Court Judge Javier Garza to be formally arraigned. Each teen was charged with a Class A misdemeanor assault and two counts of attempted sexual assault, which are third-degree felonies. Garza set the bonds for both teens at $32,500 each.
Jacob Leal, who was also arrested yesterday, was not arraigned, but rather released to his parents because he was a 16-year-old juvenile when he allegedly committed the same offenses.
The investigation, which is a joint effort between Donna police and Donna school district police, is still ongoing.
Cari Hammerstrom covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4424.