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	Vol.7, No 8, September 13, 1999
	Arrest warrant out for professor By Kristopher Hanson Daily Forty-Niner Elena Zagustin is now a fugitive from the law. Zagustin, the Cal State Long Beach civil engineering professor who drew the wrath of her Huntington Harbour neighbors and the law by the unsanitary conditions of her home, failed to show up for a scheduled probation violation appearance in a Westminster court Wednesday night.  "She was supposed to appear last night regarding a probation violation -- she has been issued a $50,000 bench warrant," said a Westminster court clerk, who refused to give her name. "She's had her day in court and now, for her own sake, itís time for her to turn herself in," said Mike Kelly, an officer with the Huntington Beach Police Department. The new owners of Zagustin's former home Wednesday allowed neighbors a glimpse inside the home for the first time. The home was sold by Orange County marshals in July, as ordered by the court. After three truckloads of debris had already been removed, neighbors found what they had been complaining about -- stacks of garbage up to 5 feet high, food and dishes in stacks around the kitchen and a garage and yard filled with miscellaneous junk, neighborhood activist Jim Walker said. "This woman needs help," Walker said. "When they [the neighbors] actually saw inside, it was worse than they had expected."  Walker said he hopes Zagustinís mental state will be evaluated.  "For Elena's own sake, she needs outside intervention," Walker said, adding that the home was a fire and safety hazard as well as a blight on the neighborhood. "The whole thing seems very unconstitutional," said Andrew Smyth, Zagustin's attorney. "It was like a mob mentality, [with the neighbors] ganging up on her."  Zagustin was recently ordered to pay $3,057.73 in statutory and compensatory damages for the condition of her home. In November 1998, she was convicted of 69 health, fire and safety violations by the Westminster Superior Court. Zagustin is still employed by the university, although other engineering professors are teaching her classes, said officials for the College of Engineering. "Her status is that she is still a campus employee," said Toni Beron, assistant vice president of public affairs for the university. "However when employees have not shown up for work in five days, it puts into motion a series of actions determined by the collective bargaining agreement," Beron said. This is standard procedure for all campus employees, Beron said, adding that Zagustin is not on sabbatical leave this semester.		Arrest warrant out for professor Prominent teacher return Big concert, food chains proposed Race sparks policy System may track student success U.S. -World police Binge drinking still on campus; won't change A night in the life of a CSULB student bartenders Surprise band delights Movie does not have 'Best Laid Plans' OtherStarPeople put together solid first effort Soccer short again Water polo team almost pulls shocker against USC 49ers closer to win record Davis has come long way in NFL Fall 99 ISSUES DAILY 49ER HOMEPAGE
Forty-Niner Publications, Department of Journalism, California State University, Long Beach ©1999 All rights reserved.