Douglas County High band director cited

Wednesday, Oct. 28, 1998 | 11:33 a.m.

Bill Zabelsky was cited at 6:30 a.m. Saturday. The Douglas County sheriff's deputy says he and his accomplices - some wielding tubas and trombones - were disturbing the peace.

People in a subdivision near the football field say they don't have tin ears, but 6:30 is a little early for practice.

One of the people who was rousted by the pre-dawn serenade was sheriff's Investigator Rick Brown, who wrote out the ticket.

Zabelsky could face a $165 fine. He said he'll plead innocent at an appearance in Justice Court Nov. 18.

"This is appalling. We were just doing our job. We have no place else to practice," he said.

Zabelsky added that Saturday's practice was a once-a-year event before the University of Nevada, Reno field show.

The band director has a prior. He was told to knock it off last year when practice for the field show started at 5:30 a.m. The cops told him to wait until at least six. Zabelsky says the band members were practicing inside this year well past 6 a.m.

Douglas placed third in Saturday's event.

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