LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- A 17-year-old student who allegedly attacked a coach earlier this week at Norcross High School had been arrested several times before on battery, disorderly conduct and criminal trespass charges.
Chance Houston was arrested on May 8 and is now facing charges of battery on a school teacher, threatening a police officer, disrupting a public school and battery.
Police were called to the school after a teacher reported having problems with Houston, according to the report. The teacher said Houston was refusing to follow directions while cursing at her and being disruptive.
The teacher emptied out the classroom and a police officer and a school resource officer attempted to speak with Houston, but then he walked out of the classroom.
Later, officers were alerted to another disturbance in which they discovered Houston being restrained by numerous students. According to the police report, Houston struck the officer several times in the face with his fists despite being restrained. Officers were eventually able to handcuff Houston and take him into custody.
Police later learned that Houston, according to the report, returned to the classroom and knocked a phone out of a coach's hand as the teacher was attempting to call the school administrator. Police said Houston hit the coach several times until he was restrained by other students.
The coach suffered a small cut to his ear and elbow.
"Gwinnett County Public Schools will not tolerate violence against its teachers and staff," the system said. "If a student physically attacks a teacher, he or she will be arrested and criminally prosecuted in addition to facing school disciplinary action. In this situation, our school resource officers acted quickly and the student was apprehended before the situation escalated further."
Houston's record indicates he had been arrested on Sept. 5, 2017 and March 24, 2018.
