SPEARMAN, TEXAS -- A 17-year-old male student at Spearman High School was arrested and charged Tuesday after striking a teacher in the head with a text book.
Police were called to the school just after 10 a.m. The principal informed officers the incident took place at the end of the second class period. He then lead police to the office where the student was seated. As officers proceeded to take the student into custody, he became uncooperative and was forced to the ground to be subdued.
"We handled the situation as best we could at the moment with what we had to deal with," Spearman Chief of Police Robert Baker said. "The student was not going to cooperate and he had to be restrained. And we did what we had to do. We didn't use any more force than necessary."
The student was transported to the Hansford County Jail where he was charged with Assault on a Public Servant. His bail was set Tuesday afternoon.
"He is being charged with a felony. A teacher is a public servant," Baker added. "We're filing the felony. Penalty range could be a state jail prison term, but that basically is going to be left up to the judge or jury."
The police report will now be submitted to the District Attorney for prosecution.
Baker said Tuesday was the student's first day on the Spearman High School campus.
"When we talked to the teacher a little later on, there was bruising and redness and a mark on the left side of his face."
Due to federal privacy issues, the names of the teacher and student have not been released.
