Suspect in high school break-in taken into custody

EVERETT — A 16-year-old girl accused of causing thousands of dollars in damage to Snohomish High School last month was taken into custody Friday after not following rules set down for her in juvenile drug court.

The Snohomish girl has regularly attended drug court hearings since late last mo

nth. Court records show she has struggled lately to follow the rules.

Prosecutors charged the girl and a Lynnwood boy, then 17, with burglary and malicious mischief for the July 4 school break-in.

Police officers were called to investigate an alarm from the school around 3:20 a.m. Officers found dozens of smashed computers. Several hundred books had been thrown around the library and a glass trophy case was broken open.

The officers spotted two young people running from the school.

They quickly arrested the pair, who reeked of alcohol, according to police reports.

The girl allegedly became belligerent, cursing at officers and demanding a lawyer. She also is charged with assault for spitting on one of the arresting officers and, in March, was charged in Lynnwood with trespassing.

Snohomish school officials on Friday estimated the vandalism damage at $26,000. Most of the money went to repair and replace computers. Some of the cost was for staff time to clean up the mess, district spokeswoman Kristin Foley said. The district has insurance with a $10,000 deductible.

The girl made her first appearance in drug court late last month. Since then she regularly attended weekly court hearings. Last week she noted that she’d been clean and sober since her arrest.

A judge sanctioned her, however, for failing to meet some of the court’s requirements, including missing two drug and alcohol tests. She was ordered to remain under house arrest.

The girl Friday told court officials that she had relapsed. It wasn’t clear Friday how long she will be held in juvenile detention.

As part of the drug court program, the girl will be required to regularly attend court and probation hearings. She also will have to follow through with treatment recommendations and any other conditions placed on her by the drug court team.

If she doesn’t, she can face more time in juvenile detention.

If she successfully completes the program, the charges against her can be dismissed. She will have to pay $2,000 in restitution to graduate from the program, and she’ll still be required to pay the remaining balance.

The Lynnwood man, now 18, was in court last week. He is set to go to trial early next month.

Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com.

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