Oak Park Player Denied Restraining Order

A Ventura County Superior Court judge refused Thursday to grant a temporary restraining order that would have allowed an Oak Park High basketball player to compete this season, according to the player’s attorney.

Richard Chavez will continue to seek a court order to play at a Dec. 16 preliminary hearing, attorney Michael Silver of Westlake Village said. Silver said that Judge William Peck turned down his request after a 30-minute meeting in chambers with him and the attorney representing the Southern Section.

The Southern Section ruled that Chavez, who averaged 15 points last year, cannot compete because he has exhausted his 8 semesters of eligibility. Chavez missed much of his sophomore year at Agoura High in 1985 because of drug and alcohol abuse that required hospitalization, according to his stepfather, Terry Bonell. When Chavez, 18, enrolled at Oak Park after a change of address, he was required to repeat 10th grade.