4 students arrested in roof prank at Warren High School

An apparent senior prank that involved the roof of Warren Township High School's Almond Road campus near Gurnee resulted in the arrests of four students.

Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran said deputies were summoned to Old Walnut Circle, west of the upperclassman building, at 1:48 a.m. Wednesday after a resident noticed teenagers carrying what looked like a sofa through some woods.

Curran said a living-room chair and other items were found on the Almond Road building's roof.

Police charged each suspect with misdemeanor criminal trespass to state-supported land: Thomas J. Ruggiero, 18, of 38860 N. Red Oak Terrace, Wadsworth; James L. Karner, 18, of 13719 W. Wadsworth Road, Wadsworth; Mark K. Pati, 18, of 34073 Sulkey Drive near Grayslake; and Peter E. Wright, 18, of 33957 Wooded Glen Drive in the Grayslake area.

Curran said police found an aluminum ladder propped against the Almond school's north side. He said sheriff's deputies located the teens west of the school near a red van on Old Walnut Circle.

"I don't think it would take a rocket scientist to figure out there are laws against this type of thing," Curran said.

District 121 spokeswoman Carolyn Waller said she couldn't comment on the incident because it's a disciplinary matter under investigation. She could not say if the four students can attend Warren's graduation ceremony May 24.

Curran said the teens are due in Lake County circuit court for arraignment May 28. He said they face a maximum of one year in Lake County jail if convicted of the misdemeanor.