Teenager cited for weapon on school grounds
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on November 1, 2015 3:05 AM
Three Goldsboro teens were arrested Friday at Rosewood High School and charged with trespassing, with one also charged with weapon possession.
A staff member at the school reportedly noticed someone wearing what appeared to be a mask in the campus parking lot, said Ken Derksen, director of communication services for Wayne County Public Schools.
The principal and school resource office investigated further, approaching the males and questioning them, Derksen said. The school was also immediately placed on lockdown.
According to a report from the Sheriff's Office, Corporal M.L. Walton responded. When he arrived on the scene, he attempted to make contact with the teens, who had gotten into a vehicle parked on school grounds.
"Walton went up to the car on the driver's side and found three occupants inside the car," the report said. "At that time, the three were questioned and issued citations for charges."
Johnathan Dylan Williams, 18, 105 Ruby Belle Way, and Cody Bowen, 107 N. Marion Drive, and Jerry Thomas Hinson, 102 Southfield Lane, both 16, were charged with second-degree trespassing.
Williams was also charged with having a weapon on school campus, a misdemeanor.
Hinson was also charged with wearing a mask, hood, etc. on public property.
Sheriff Larry Pierce said Saturday night that the youths were issued a citation and released. He also said he believed the weapon Williams had was a knife.
Derksen said none of the subjects were students at Rosewood High School nor were they students in Wayne County Public Schools.
He said the high school campus was under lockdown for approximately 20 minutes during the investigation. Nearby Rosewood Middle School was also placed under a "soft lockdown" -- the exterior doors were locked and no one could enter or leave, Derksen said -- for the same amount of time.
Notification was also sent home to parents of students at both schools, communicating what had taken place during the school day, he said.
"We appreciate the Wayne County Sheriff's Office and having a school resource officer on our campus that can investigate concerns such as these when someone is on the campus that shouldn't be," Derksen said.