2 Gordon County high school students accused of hazing

GORDON COUNTY, Ga. — Channel 2 Action News has learned that two north Georgia student athletes are facing hazing charges.

Channel 2’s Carl Willis spent Wednesday digging through the case involving Gordon Central High School students, both under 17 years old.

Willis got a statement from the school principal and information from the county sheriff.

The students were pulled off the field after the school learned of the hazing allegations and the entire season was canceled.

One of the students has been charged with aggravated sexual battery and false imprisonment against his teammate. The other student faces charges for being a party to the crime.

The team’s playing season has been canceled over concerns about a history of hazing.

One parent Willis talked to says the case is disturbing, but needs to know all of the facts before passing judgment.

“I think until all of the evidence has been presented that nobody should be jumping to any conclusions," said parent Joli Walraven.

Walraven said one of the team members lives with her family and she believes he and the others on the team have been unfarily punished for the actions of a few.

"I think there's too little known and there's too much conjecture and there's too many people passing around rumors," Walraven said.

The principal told Willis the incidents happened off the field and off campus, but there has been a history of hazing over the past year.

A parent contacted deputies when they found evidence of assault, Gordon County Sheriff Mitch Ralston said.

Ralston told Willis the incident may have happened on the way to or from a game and it may have happened in Gordon and three other counties.

Principal Scott McClanahan told Willis that the bus drivers and coaches were not aware of the incident at the time it happened.

WSBTV