NorCal High School Teacher Allegedly Allowed Classroom 'Fight Club'

CLOVERDALE (AP) - A Northern California high school teacher has been arrested on suspicion of refereeing a classroom fight club that resulted in multiple student injuries.

The Press Democrat reports 41-year-old Federico Vargas, of Santa Rosa, was arrested Saturday on suspicion of five counts of endangering a child and 13 counts of contributing to the delinquency of minors.

The Cloverdale Police Department says Vargas created "a `fight club' style atmosphere" at Cloverdale High School by allowing students to fight and even refereeing the fights.

Investigators say more than one student was injured, including a teen who required medical treatment.

Cloverdale Unified School District Superintendent Jeremy Decker says school officials contacted police last week after learning of the alleged fighting "due to the serious nature of these allegations."

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press.