Students Accused Of Totaling Coach's Car

Police Say Several Students Jumped On Car

POSTED: 4:24 pm EST November 6, 2009
UPDATED: 7:06 pm EST November 6, 2009

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. -- A group of middle school students is accused of vandalizing the car of an Anne Arundel County high school football coach, and surveillance video appeared to catch them in the act.

The incident happened late last week while the vehicle was parked on campus at Old Mill Middle-High School.

Police said at about 3:45 p.m. on Oct. 29, five students from the school decided to pounce on a 2000 Honda Civic, which belonged to the high school's head football coach, Damian Ferragamo.

"I don't know them. They didn't know me. They didn't know whose car it was. It was just kind of a senseless type of act," Ferragamo told 11 News.

The coach said he didn't find out about it until it was time for him to go home. He took pictures of the huge dents and broken windshield.

"(The glass) had been shattered, and as I looked a little bit closer, I saw that the hood of my car and the roof of my car had been severely dented in," Ferragamo said.

He said he got more bad news when he reported the incident to his insurance company.

The car got totaled. They said it wasn't worth what the damages were, so they went ahead and totaled our car, which they give you the book value of your car, but it's really not enough to get a suitable replacement for your transportation," the coach said.

School officials said they're working with police to investigate the vandalism and said the students caught on tape are receiving appropriate disciplinary action.

But that currently does little to help Ferragamo, who is trying to figure out how'll get back and forth to campus.

"It's definitely disappointing when kids make bad decisions. Everybody has been young and made bad decisions. It's disappointing, especially something so random and in broad daylight," he said.

Police are still investigating. There is no word if any of the students will be charged.  The incident happened late last week while the vehicle was parked on campus at Old Mill Middle-High School.

Police said at about 3:45 p.m. on Oct. 29, five students from the school decided to pounce on a 2000 Honda Civic, which belonged to the high school's head football coach, Damian Ferragamo.

"I don't know them. They didn't know me. They didn't know whose car it was. It was just kind of a senseless type of act," Ferragamo told 11 News.

The coach said he didn't find out about it until it was time for him to go home. He took pictures of the huge dents and broken windshield.

"(The glass) had been shattered, and as I looked a little bit closer, I saw that the hood of my car and the roof of my car had been severely dented in," Ferragamo said.

He said he got more bad news when he reported the incident to his insurance company.

"The car got totaled. They said it wasn't worth what the damages were, so they went ahead and totaled our car, which they give you the book value of your car, but it's really not enough to get a suitable replacement for your transportation," the coach said.

School officials said they're working with police to investigate the vandalism and said the students caught on tape are receiving appropriate disciplinary action.

But that currently does little to help Ferragamo, who is trying to figure out how'll get back and forth to campus.

"It's definitely disappointing when kids make bad decisions. Everybody has been young and made bad decisions. It's disappointing, especially something so random and in broad daylight," he said.

Police are still investigating. There is no word if any of the students will be charged.

LINK TO VIDEO IMAGES:

http://www.wbaltv.com/slideshow/news/21544731/detail.html

http://www.wbaltv.com/news/21544064/detail.html