Merced Co. DA planning to file charges against high school football players arrested for hazing

DOS PALOS, Calif. (KFSN) -- In the North Valley, there are new details about the four Dos Palos High School football players arrested for hazing a younger player.

Just days before Dos Palos High School's biggest football game of the year, four of the school's football players were arrested for hazing. The Merced County District Attorney's Office has confirmed they plan to file a felony charge of false imprisonment and a misdemeanor hazing charge against each of the players. But Dos Palos Police said the investigation is far from over.

"We are having interviews today and they will probably go on through the evening hours. We are developing good information and we believe that more arrests are imminent," said Chief Barry Mann, Dos Palos Police.

Three of the players were arrested Tuesday, just two days after officers received a tip about a possible hazing issue on Sunday. A fourth 17-year-old football player was arrested on Thursday.

The Dos Palos Oro Loma School District said the players have not been back to school since the arrest.

"The investigation continues with police and the investigation continues with our school officials. We want to get down to the bottom of it," said William Spaulding, Dos Palos Oro Loma School District Superintendent.

We set out to ask some former high school football players about hazing, and if they ever witnessed it themselves. W.R. Sanders Jr., a running back for Merced College, said back at his high school in Indiana there was a strict policy on hazing and it was completely unacceptable. He said it's shocking to hear about this happening at a high school.

"That's very shocking to me. That's something you don't hear every day. Well, you hear it, but football players should know better than that not to be hazing and stuff like that."

Spalding said they can't disclose more about the investigation because they students are juveniles. But as the clock runs closer to kickoff between Dos Palos and Los Banos, he said there's a good chance there will be four players that won't be on the field.

"They're pretty significant and when students are disciplined in this manner, typically they are not able to be in school or participate in after school activities."

The superintendent said, as of now, there are no plans to cancel Friday night's game.