Juvenile Court

A 16-year-old boy admitted Wednesday in juvenile court to the unsafe backing of a motor vehicle, a traffic offense. On June 29, he backed into another vehicle in the area of the Dunkin' Donuts on Dual Highway, Assistant State's Attorney Michelle Flores said Wednesday. When police tracked the striking vehicle to the boy's home, the boy and his parents were very cooperative, Flores said. The boy's parents were out of town when he used their car, she said. Washington County Circuit Judge Donald E. Beachley, sitting in juvenile court, said the boy, who had only a learner's permit, should not have been driving.

Teen admits involvement in assault A 17-year-old boy admitted Wednesday in juvenile court to his involvement in a second-degree assault. He also admitted to having a handgun. On March 28, Hagerstown police were dispatched to the Department of Juvenile Services, where someone was claiming she had been assaulted by her ex-boyfriend the day before, Assistant State's Attorney Michelle Flores said Wednesday. The ex-girlfriend accused the 17-year-old boy of backhanding her in the face, causing her nose ring to fall out. He also pushed the ex-girlfriend to the ground, Flores said.

A 15-year-old boy admitted Wednesday in juvenile court to his involvement in an assault. Deputy State's Attorney Steven Kessell dropped additional charges in exchange for the boy's admission to second-degree assault. On May 9, a boy walking along railroad tracks in the area of Valley Mall was assaulted. Two boys, one of whom had a knife, jumped the boy and took his MP3 players, Kessell said. One of the assailants said to the victim, "empty your pockets unless you want to die," Kessell said.

HAGERSTOWN -- A 17-year-old who faced almost 100 criminal charges in an October 2007 bank robbery agreed Monday in Washington County Circuit Court to admit his involvement and testify against his grandfather, the co-defendant. In return for his cooperation, the youth's case was sent to juvenile court, where the penalties are less severe. Kevin Andre Shanton, 17, of Winchester, Va., and his grandfather were charged in an October 2007 armed robbery at the M&T Bank branch on Dual Highway.

A 14-year-old boy admitted Wednesday in juvenile court that the state had enough evidence to prove he committed a second-degree assault. On Feb. 21, the boy and two of his friends were playing football at Fairgrounds Park in Hagerstown when he started punching one of his friends, Assistant State's Attorney Michelle Flores said Wednesday in court. The victim was injured in the head and back, and taken to the hospital, she said. Washington County Circuit Judge M. Kenneth Long Jr. accepted the boy's Alford plea.

A 14-year-old boy admitted Wednesday in juvenile court that the state had enough evidence to prove he committed a second-degree assault. On Feb. 21, the boy and two of his friends were playing football at Fairgrounds Park in Hagerstown when he started punching one of his friends, Assistant State's Attorney Michelle Flores said Wednesday in court. The victim was injured in the head and back, and taken to the hospital, she said. Washington County Circuit Judge M. Kenneth Long Jr. accepted the boy's Alford plea.

13-year-old placed back in rehab program A 13-year-old boy admitted Wednesday in juvenile court to carrying a handgun. The boy had been in a rehabilitation program and was home in Hagerstown on a home pass when the incident involving the handgun occurred, Department of Juvenile Services officials said. Hagerstown Police found the boy in possession of a handgun in October during a firearm trade that went bad, Assistant State's Attorney Steven Kessell said Wednesday. Possession of handguns indicates a "criminal attitude," Washington County Circuit Judge Frederick C. Wright III told the boy. Wright placed the boy back in the rehabilitation program he had been in, although the boy now is to start over from the beginning of the program, Department of Juvenile Services officials said.