Several hurt in fight at VisionQuest
VisionQuest in the news:
Teen-age girls
riot at VisionQuest
Teen
boys change through VisionQuest
By VICKY TAYLOR
Public Opinion, Chambersburg PA
May 8, 2006
GUILFORD TOWNSHIP — What began as a fight between two girls at
VisionQuest Saturday night quickly turned into what police later
described as "a disturbance" that sent Pennsylvania State Police
troopers and police officers from several departments in Franklin,
Adams and Cumberland counties rushing to the South Mountain
facility.
According to VisionQuest Director Gerry Fox, when the facility's
staff responded to the fight sometime between 8 and 8:30 p.m., other
girls became involved and the situation escalated to the point that
state police were called to help.
He denied that the disturbance included any kind of hostage
situation, but did say the girls were unruly when an ambulance
arrived. Still, the ambulance crew members were not kept from doing
their jobs, he said.
By the time the disturbance was over, seven girls and two staff
members needed treatment for minor injuries and police had taken
eight students into custody.
Fox, who is VisionQuest's state director, said the facility's
staff is trained to handle such situations and staff members first
tried to handle it themselves, but by 8:40 p.m., a call had gone to
the 911 center and troopers were sent.
Fox said the disturbance was confined to two of the facility's
four living areas for female residents. He said the eight girls who
were detained seemed to be the ringleaders, although others became
agitated and were milling around.
"There was a lot of emotion," he said. "Five of the seven girls
taken to area hospitals were sent in for asthma-related symptoms."
He said none of the injuries was significant.
Fox called the police response "timely and professional in all
aspects."
Neither police or Fox could say exactly how long it took to bring
the situation under control, but Fox said police had "pretty well
secured the situation" by 9:30 p.m.
Trooper Bradley Ford, the state police investigating officer on
the scene, said charges against the eight juveniles were pending.
The eight were released to probation authorities.
Vicky Taylor can be reached at 262-4753 or
vtaylor@publicopinionnews.com.
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