MAN IN ALLEGED ASSAULT CLAIMS SENIOR PRANK: REDWOOD CITY  (AP) — A former Northern California high school student charged with assaulting a teacher says he covered his face, jumped out from behind garbage cans and put a knife to the woman's side as part of a senior prank.

The San Mateo County Times reports that 21-year-old David Velasquez testified Tuesday. Velasquez is charged with assaulting the teacher with the intent to commit rape inside the parking garage of Summit Preparatory High School in Redwood City in January 2012.

Authorities say Velasquez was obsessed with the teacher, and the two got into a struggle during the attack.

Velasquez said it was a prank that was supposed to end with pushing the teacher into her car and closing the door. He said she fell to the ground and took him with her.

MAN WITH DETONATOR-LIKE DEVICE ROBS SAN MATEO BANK: SAN MATEO (AP) — Police say a man clutching what appeared to be a bomb detonator escaped with cash after robbing a Northern California bank.

The suspect passed the teller a demand note while holding the silver device with a red button at midday Tuesday.

San Mateo police Sgt. Dave Norris it wasn't clear if the detonator was real or not.

The suspect got away with an undisclosed amount of cash.

He is described as wearing a dark-colored ball cap on top of a blond wig with a ponytail.

Investigators are analyzing a surveillance camera image of the suspect checking his disguise in the reflection of a glass door before the robbery.

SAN JOSE AFTER-SCHOOL TEACHER CONVICTED OF MOLESTATION: SAN JOSE  (AP) — A jury has convicted a teacher at a San Jose after-school program of molesting nine young girls under his care.

The San Jose Mercury News reports that jurors found 27-year-old Keith Woodhouse guilty on Tuesday of 30 felony counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 14. The conviction could send him to prison for life.

Authorities say Woodhouse touched the girls inappropriately. The girls were enrolled in day-care programs run out of two elementary schools.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY CREW ROBBED AT GUNPOINT: OAKLAND  (AP) — Police say a group of workers were robbed at gunpoint at a Habitat for Humanity site where former President Jimmy Carter is scheduled to tour in Oakland.

The Oakland Tribune reports that eight Habitat staff members and AmeriCorps workers were robbed of their cell phones and wallets Tuesday at the Brookfield Court development in East Oakland.

Police say a man was also shot at and pistol-whipped. He refused medical attention.

Habitat spokeswoman Krysta Morgenthaler says four men robbed the workers where 12 townhomes are currently under construction. Another dozen workers were not robbed.

No arrests have been made.

The robbery comes less than a week before Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter are scheduled to visit Oakland and San Jose as part of a weeklong campaign highlighting Habitat for Humanity's home-building projects.