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Basketball Players Arrested, Coach Removed From Classroom After Fight At Cleveland High School

RESEDA (CBS) — Two basketball players have been arrested on suspicion of felony battery and vandalism and a Cleveland High School teacher removed from the classroom after a verbal altercation turned into a violent fight.

Students say the two basketball players were harassing former football Coach Derrick Hill, who also teaches health and life skills. The verbal harassment turned physical when one of the players launched an attack on Hill's car, student Irene Luna said, smashing windows, mirrors and denting the hood.

"They were first going off on words, cussing at each other and that's when fists started being thrown and the other dude went over and kicked his car," Irene said. "The other boy ran and jumped on top of his car and was denting it and he jumped on the back mirror and that broke and he fell over and his leg was bloody."

That's when Luna says Coach Hill lost it and started fighting back. Irene says Coach Hill got on top of one of the boys and was hitting him in face.

Hill is a role model and not one to lose his temper, football player Jason Yurroz said.

"Coach Hill was my football coach for several years," he said. "Coach Hill is a person who is sweet at heart and very hard working, takes his job seriously. He was a mentor to me."

Los Angeles Unified School officials say the two basketball players have been arrested for felony battery and vandalism and Hill has been removed from the classroom while an investigation is conducted into the incident. A letter is going out to parents to notify them about the case.

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