Richlands students charged in drug incident

RICHLANDS — Two students hospitalized after allegedly taking prescription pills at Richlands High School on Tuesday have been charged in connection with the incident.

Timothy Horne Jr., 17, of Barbee Road, was charged late Wednesday by the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office with disorderly conduct, assault on a government official and resisting a government official.

William Douglas Waters, 17, of Catherine Lake Road, was charged with disorderly conduct by disrupting students.

Both students are accused of “disrupting class by being under the influence of a prescription medication (not his own),” according to warrants. Waters is said to have been “out of control” in a warrant for his arrest.

Horne is accused of “fighting with (a) school resource officer and other administrators,” according to an arrest warrant.

There are outstanding warrants for two other students said to be involved in the incident, including a student thought to have brought the anti-seizure pills to school.

Richlands High School Principal Darin Cloninger has submitted a disciplinary recommendation to Onslow County Schools Superintendent Kathy Spencer, but her decision has not been disclosed, school system spokesman Barry Collins said.

A principal has the authority to suspend students for up to 10 days, any punishment beyond that requires superintendent approval, according to school board policy.

The incident began shortly after school was dismissed at 3 p.m. A student had an adverse reaction to a pill he had been given and had to be transported to Onslow Memorial Hospital. At that time Horne is said to have become belligerent and assaulted both school officials and the responding school resource officer.

Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown said a stun gun was deployed, but the wires did not make contact with Horne during the fight.

A student identified the drug they are said to have taken as Topamax, a migraine prevention and anti-seizure medication. The drug’s side effects could include hyperventilation, tiredness, loss of appetite, irregular heartbeat and changes in levels of alertness, according to the manufacturer.

In total, four students were sent to Onslow Memorial Hospital, one for having the adverse reaction and three others, including Horne and Waters, for observation.

Daily News staff writer Suzanne Ulbrich contributed to this report. Contact her at 910-219-8466 or sulbrich@freedomenc.com. Contact Lindell Kay at 910-219-8456 or lkay@freedomenc.com.