Three students were charged in the Oct. 12, 2012 football game melee between Pioneer and Huron high schools.
Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com
The 17-year-old Pioneer student who rejected a plea deal back in April accepted the same agreement in the Washtenaw County Juvenile Court Friday when he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor assault charge for his involvement in last fall's football fracas.
A jury trial that was set for Monday was subsequently canceled.
Judge Donald Shelton also agreed to a deferred sentencing in the case, which essentially means the teen's record will be wiped clean if he fulfills all the requirements of his probation.
Felony charges of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, assault with a dangerous weapon and aggravated assault will be dismissed at disposition, the equivalent of sentencing in juvenile court, which was set for July 23.
The outcome of the case is similar to two other teens charged in the brawl who were convicted on just one assault charge out of several and received deferred sentences.
Bashir Garain, the 18-year-old Pioneer student accused of swinging a crutch during the fight, was sentenced in May to four months probation after pleading guilty to a felony assault charge. As a part of a plea deal, a second count of assault with a dangerous weapon and two misdemeanor counts of assault and battery were dismissed.
On April 30, a second 17-year-old Pioneer student was sentenced to six months probation and a $50 fine. He was found responsible on one count of misdemeanor assault and battery on Feb. 6. He originally was charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, aggravated assault and assault and battery.
At the time of his disposition, his public defender, Shelia Blakney, told AnnArbor.com the boy likely would appeal and that he likely would get a different attorney for that process. Court records indicate no appeal has been yet filed.
Police said the two 17-year-olds kicked a Huron High School football player in the face during an on-field fight with the Pioneer squad. The brawl started when coaches from Huron and Pioneer met after the game Oct. 12 and began a verbal altercation that turned physical when assistant coach Vince Wortmann shoved Huron head coach Cory Gildersleeve.
Wortmann was not charged because prosecutors ruled he believed he was defending Pioneer head coach Paul Test.
Wortmann was fired after the incident. Both head coaches have since resigned.
John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.