3 West Forsyth students charged with damaging Roswell band practice field
Fulton County Schools police have charged three West Forsyth High School students accused of damaging Roswell High’s band practice field by doing doughnuts, authorities said.
The vandalism happened after what was supposed to be a football game between the high schools, Channel 2 Action News reported. Rain and bad weather forced a cancellation of that game, which was hosted by the Hornets.
A video posted to social media showed a black pickup truck driving around the band’s practice field.
The three students have been identified as Ryan Dickerson, 17, Michael Wilkie, 18, and Keegan Parris, 17, according to a Fulton County Schools police incident report. Officers said the teens were charged with second-degree criminal damage to property and reckless driving after admitting taking part in the incident.
Josh Knutson, a band parent, said the vandalism occurred moments after the downpour.
The band members didn’t realize the extent of the damage until the next day when they arrived for practice, Knutson told the news station.
"It was pretty disheartening,” he said. “The kids were upset. It's kind of hard not to take it personal."
In a statement, the Forsyth County school district apologized for the vandalism and the “inexcusable actions” of the West Forsyth students.
In a letter to band parents, Roswell Principal Robert Shaw said he is frustrated and upset about the vandalism.
“I know how much work our students put into marching band and I am also aware of the time, talent and treasure that our band parents put into the program,” he said. “Finding those responsible is the priority for both Fulton and Forsyth County Schools.”
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About the Author
Asia Simone Burns is a watchdog reporter for the AJC. Burns was formerly an intern in AJC’s newsroom and now writes about crime. She is a graduate of Samford University and has previously reported for NPR and WABE, Atlanta’s NPR member station.
