Teacher accused of manhandling students

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Ind. (WISH) - A middle school teacher has been charged with roughing up some of his students.

Steve Hilton, 55, a Science and Physical Education teacher at Eastern Hancock Middle School, faces seven counts of battery and two counts of battery resulting in bodily injury.

Students told police Hilton had a bad temper.

According to a probable cause affidavit, one student said, "Mr. Hilton grabbed her by the neck, squeezed 'pressure points' and pulled her toward him."

Another girl said Hilton, "choked her hard enough that her face turned red and she couldn't breathe."

One student accused Hilton of hanging her upside down in a trash can.

Hilton told police he was just "playing" with the kids and that it was all in fun.

He entered a not guilty plea to the nine battery counts and posted a $1,500 cash bond.

24-Hour News 8 sent a crew to Hilton's home in Wilkinson to see if the teacher wanted to tell his side of the story. As the news crew pulled up to the house, a younger man came outside and asked the crew to leave.

The Easter Hancock School District is conducting an internal investigation of its own.

A message on the homepage of the Eastern Hancock Schools Web site says, "Based on information received on Friday morning, February 5, 2010, Eastern Hancock is conducting an internal investigation of alleged inappropriate conduct by a staff member to students.

"When it is appropriate a recommendation will be made to the school board that is based upon the investigation. At this time the teacher has been placed on indefinite paid suspension. He has been ordered to remain off of school property unless he is directly supervised by the Middle School/High School Principal or the Superintendent."

A pre-trial hearing has been set for April 8.

The Hancock County Prosecutor says the investigation is not over yet.

Detectives plan to interview an 8th girl who claims she too was touched by Hilton in an inappropriate way.