A 13-year-old accused of throwing rocks that injured two teachers and broke a van window on Wednesday is facing felony and misdemeanor charges.

Students in an alternative education class at Jefferson-Lewis Board of Cooperative Educational Services, 20104 Route 3, were painting stones about noon Wednesday when the unidentified boy allegedly began throwing rocks. State police were called after BOCES staff tried to control him.

“This is a special-needs student who is severely emotionally disturbed,” said BOCES Superintendent Jack J. Boak Jr. “Unfortunately, in this particular situation, he had a crisis like students in his situation do.”

The teachers’ injuries were minor, Mr. Boak said.

The boy was charged with second-degree criminal mischief, a felony, and assault with criminal negligence causing injury with a weapon, a misdemeanor, according to police. As a juvenile, he will appear in Jefferson County Family Court.

The student lives at the Children’s Home of Jefferson County, 1704 State St., and has had similar issues in the past, Mr. Boak said.

“His needs are so severe that he needs a residential program,” he said. “He needs a more intense intervention program than a public school can provide him. We have recommended this before with this young man.”

Mr. Boak said BOCES and the Children’s Home have seen more students lately who have the same type of needs. He said he was not surprised by the criminal charges. “Sometimes, it takes an incident like this to get this young man the attention he needs,” he said.

Staff writer David C. Shampine contributed to this report.

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