It may have seemed like a silly prank, but the punishment was serious.
A 17-year-old South Carolina high school student has been charged with third degree assault and battery for throwing a paper airplane that hit his teacher in the eye.
David Michael Elliott, a student at Andrews High School, was arrested after his instructor, Edward McIver, contacted the school’s resource officer to report the January 10 paper plane incident; soon, local law enforcement was involved. According to South Strand News, McIver, a science teacher, had recently had eye surgery and was “very upset” about the injury, which caused his eye to turn “very red.”
According to the school’s incident report, other students in the classroom implicated Elliot as the culprit, and he later confessed to launching the paper plane assault — but said he intended to hit Mr. McIver in the head, not the eye. He did not offer a motive.
McIver reportedly said that Elliot had been involved in several confrontations in the past and that “something needs to be done.”
Indeed, something was: Elliot was arrested for third degree assault and battery, which could mean up to 30 days in jail and a maximum fine of $500. His first court appearance is set for February 14th.
A school administrator told the South Stand News that it was always up to Sheriff’s personnel to determine if a crime was committed.
Photo: Pixabay
