Parsons Sun

THAYER - Two Neosho County Community College coaches and four of its students are in the Neosho County jail at Erie today following a strange series of events early Sunday in Thayer.

Neosho County Sheriff Jim Keath said that at 4:30 a.m. Sunday, officers were sent to 408 S. Hillside Drive in Thayer, where the six persons had allegedly entered a home while the occupants were sleeping and reportedly battered the occupants.

In custody are Mark Vollmer, 25; John Taylor, 27; William D. Vaughn, 19; Golden D. Smith, 20; Daniel L. Sanders, 20; and Christopher J. Johnson, 19. Smith, Sanders and Johnson are NCCC wrestlers. Vollmer and Taylor are coaches at the two-year college, with Taylor being an assistant wrestling coach.

"Apparently there had been a party at the residence in Thayer. The two older persons (taken into custody) had attended the party and there was an altercation. They apparently left there and then returned with help to settle the score," Keath said. "There were five persons in the residence at the time. Four of those were injured."

A college-owned van was taken from Chanute and used for the six persons to return to the Thayer residence, Keath said.

Five of those people were later arrested at the college and one at a residence in Chanute.

Keath said he was unsure of the spelling of the injured persons' names, but listed them as home co-owner Dusty Higginson, Dustin Magner, Shannon Russell and Lucus McDermit. They were treated at an area hospital but not admitted.

Uninjured was the home's co-owner, Josh White.

The sheriff's department will ask the Neosho County attorney to file charges of aggravated burglary and aggravated assault, Keath said.

NCCC President Vicky Smith would not disclose any specifics on those allegedly involved, including what sports Vollmer and Taylor coached.

But she said, "We are treating this as a very serious matter.

"We are taking immediate action on suspension of duties for the two coaches involved until the investigation is completed, then further action will be taken, pending what the investigation discloses.

Smith said the college will deal with the students according to the schools' conduct code.

"If the results of the investigation show a need for action under the conduct code, then we will act according to the code pending the outcome."

Smith expressed "great disappointment" in the matter. Since taking over the college presidency early this year, she said, she has been working diligently in the community to better the image of the college.

Such an incident certainly doesn't help, she said. "You would hope people would make better judgments."