Star Beacon
CONNEAUT - - The Conneaut dad, charged for allegedly arranging a fight between his teenage son and another boy, pleaded not guilty Thursday.
David Roosa, 38, of 591 Madison St. pleaded not guilty in Conneaut Municipal Court to one misdemeanor count of child endangering. The charge, a first-degree misdemeanor, carries a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Police say Roosa arranged a fight between the 14 and 15-year-old boys.

Officers broke up the fight but not before both boys suffered injuries. When officers arrived at the scene, Roosa was with a group of juveniles, watching the altercation, police said.

Roosa told police he was present at the fight to make sure neither boy got badly hurt, but told them he didn’t arrange or condone the violence.

A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Jan. 22.

Roosa told police he was at home when his son asked whether he could fight another boy. Roosa agreed and supervised the fight, even giving the teens a rest between rounds, police said.

Police recommended Ashtabula County’s Juvenile Court file a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor against Roosa, according to a report.

The boys already have been cited into Juvenile Court for disorderly conduct, police said.