Norwalk police have arrested a former middle school teacher who is accused of grabbing a student and dragging him across the room in October.
Police started the investigation on Nov. 11 when a West Rocks Middle School student reported that York Mario mistreated him, police said.
A Norwalk Police Department Special Victims Unit detective worked with the Department of Children and Families to investigate.
Police said they determined that Mario on Oct. 29, 61-year-old Mario, or Orange, grabbed a student by his shoulder while he was sitting in a chair and pulled him, causing the student to fall to the ground, then dragged the student across the room while he clung to another desk, police said.
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They said another student captured part of the incident on video.
School officials said Mario resigned in December.
Mario was charged with risk of injury and reckless endangerment in the second degree. Police said he turned himself in on June 16 and was released on a $5,000 bond.
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Norwalk schools said in a statement, "The safety and well-being of our Norwalk Public Schools children is our first priority. Mr. York Mario is no longer employed by Norwalk Public Schools, given he resigned effective December 16, 2021. This is a personnel matter; therefore, we have no further comment."
The next court date for Mario is Sept. 21.
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