Las Vegas-area high school football players cause trouble in Utah
Football players from four Las Vegas area high schools have landed in hot water in recent weeks after incidents involving firecrackers, smoke bombs and a drug deal “gone sour” at a Utah football camp.
On June 26, two Cimarron-Memorial High School players threw lit firecrackers and smoke bombs into two Southern Utah University dorm rooms housing Palo Verde High School players, according to a report from the university’s police department. The university is located in Cedar City, 170 miles northeast of Las Vegas.
While the responding officer was gathering statements, coaches from Cimarron and Palo Verde “began to get crazy and unprofessional,” at one point coming close to a fight, according to the report, which does not identify the coaches. The officer had to intervene, but no coaches or players were cited.
In a separate incident on July 13, between eight and 12 camp attendees assaulted a male victim on campus during a drug deal, according to another report from the university’s police department.
The victim said he was jumped and that the players took his skateboard, according to the report.
“It should be noted that the victim was in the PE parking lot to sell marijuana to the football players but the deal had gone sour,” the report stated. “The juveniles were released to their respective coaches.”
Three players were cited for assault, and another was cited for possession of marijuana. At least one person who was cited was a Desert Oasis High School student, and another was a Mojave High School student.
None of the coaches of the teams involved in the incidents could be reached for comment Tuesday.
The Clark County School District communications office was unaware of the incidents when contacted late Tuesday afternoon, district spokesman David Roddy said.
Roddy released the following statement Wednesday morning:
“Clark County School District school administrators and district officials were recently made aware of incidents involving CCSD students participating in an out-of-state athletic camp. Staff and students are reminded that although school is not currently in session, school-related activities are an extension of the classroom and appropriate behavior is expected. Each of the schools are conducting an internal investigation into the matter. Once the investigations are completed, appropriate action will be taken.”
Contact Blake Apgar at bapgar@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5298. Follow @blakeapgar on Twitter. Review-Journal writer Justin Emerson contributed to this report.