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ST. GEORGE (AP) -- Four former members of the Wasatch High School baseball team have been charged with hazing after an investigation into complaints during a tournament in St. George.
Four of the students are 18 and were charged Friday with Class B misdemeanor hazing. Another teen faces the same violation in juvenile court.
St. George City Attorney Shawn Guzman said the alleged hazing happened March 10 at a St. George motel as part of an initiation ritual. Guzman said the new players would be held down and touched inappropriately through their clothes.
"It's apparent that they had this tradition and that they thought it was OK. I think they made a bad choice," Guzman said.
Wasatch County School District superintendent Terry Shoemaker said the five players were suspended for 10 days from school and kicked off the baseball team.
"We take this thing very seriously and intend to do everything we can to eliminate hazing in any of its forms," Shoemaker said.
The former players appeared before the school board Thursday to appeal their dismissal from the baseball team. The appeal is pending, Shoemaker said.
The 18-year-olds charged Friday were Jeffery Wade, Beau Mark and Parker Sweat of Heber City and Dustin Dorris of Midway. The juvenile's name was not released.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
