Van Buren Faces Jail After Knife Incident

Leodes Van Buren, the former Newbury Park High football star, admitted Wednesday that he violated terms of his probation when he threatened to kill himself and his infant son during a two-hour standoff with sheriff’s deputies earlier this month.

Van Buren, 20, could face a prison term when he is sentenced next month, but probably will end up with a shorter stint in the Ventura County Jail, Deputy Dist. Atty. James Grunert said.

Van Buren was initially sentenced to 180 days in jail in 1994 and placed on probation after a jury convicted him of firing a handgun into the home of his girlfriend at the time. After the jury’s decision, Colorado rescinded its football scholarship offer to Van Buren.

It is the second time this year that Van Buren has admitted violating terms of his probation. He had earlier tested positive for drug use and was sentenced in March to 15 days in jail for the offense.

On May 5, Van Buren held police at bay with a knife for two hours after an argument with his 17-year-old girlfriend and the mother of 3-month-old Leodes Van Buren Jr. The couple were reportedly arguing over custody of the child because the two intended to break up, family members said. The infant was not hurt during the incident.

Van Buren, the state’s all-time leading receiver, helped the 1993 Newbury Park team to an undefeated season and the Southern Section Division III championship.

Track and Field

Kadrina Coffee of Palmdale High will not run on the Falcons’ 400-meter relay team in the State championships that start Friday at Cerritos College because she has a slight tear in her right quadriceps.

Coffee, a sophomore who ran a personal best of 53.96 seconds to place second in the 400 at the 1995 USA Track & Field junior championships as a freshman, initially injured her leg in a workout last week. She anchored the Falcons’ 400 relay team to a fifth-place finish in the Southern Section Masters Meet on Friday, but the injury worsened in the 400 when she placed sixth in 56.43.

Christina Canty, a senior, will replace Coffee on the relay team, joining juniors Monique Nolan, Tranisha Holmes and Edniesha Curry.

Cross-Country

Kevin Koeper of St. Francis High, a member of The Times’ 1995 all-region cross-country team, will attend Northern Arizona in the fall.

Koeper, fourth in the 1995 State Division III cross-country championships, finished second in the 3,200 meters at the Southern Section Division III track finals earlier this month.

He has run 9 minutes 20.8 seconds in the 3,200 and will try to earn an athletic scholarship from Northern Arizona during the 1996-97 school year, when he plans to be a redshirt.

Basketball

Area players expected to participate in a high school all-star game are John Burrell of Highland, Bronson Pitts of Littlerock, Onaje Longmire of Van Nuys, Maurice Potter of Verdugo Hills and Juni Williams of Burbank. The game is scheduled for Friday at 7:30 p.m. at San Fernando High.

Contributing: Paul Elias, John Ortega, Bryan Rodgers.