COVINGTON, Ga. — A Newton High School student is facing a criminal charge of aggravated assault in addition to school disciplinary action after allegedly choking another student until the victim passed out recently.

School system spokesperson Sherri Partee said the school nurse and Newton County EMTs treated the victim at the scene after the incident in the school’s commons area during a lunch period Wednesday, Aug. 11. 

“Three administrators and another staff member responded within seconds,” Partee said. 

“We take these situations very seriously as the safety of our students and staff is our No. 1 concern,” she said.

A school resource officer reported she responded to a fight between students after administrators had broken it up about 1:30 p.m. during the school’s third lunch period.

One student lost consciousness after being placed in a chokehold by another student, the officer reported 

“The (victim) was seen by the nurse, administrators and EMTs that were already on location for another incident,” the officer reported.

The student who placed the victim in a chokehold “was not on location” after the fight but was later identified and placed under arrest, the report stated. 

The suspect was to be transported to Newton County Detention Center, fingerprinted and transported to Rockdale Youth Detention Center, the officer reported.

Information about the suspect and victim was withheld because both are juveniles, according to the report.