News (Media Awareness Project) - US KY: Teen's Overdose Leads To Pike Principal's Arrest |
| Title: | US KY: Teen's Overdose Leads To Pike Principal's Arrest |
| Published On: | 2005-09-20 |
| Source: | Lexington Herald-Leader (KY) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-15 12:57:11 |
TEEN'S OVERDOSE LEADS TO PIKE PRINCIPAL'S ARREST
Boy Allegedly Ingested Mushrooms At School Official's Home
PIKEVILLE - A Pike County elementary school principal was arrested Saturday
after a 17-year-old boy apparently overdosed on hallucinogenic mushrooms at
his home, state police said.
Kyle Tackett, 32, a well-regarded principal at G.F. Johnson Elementary
School at Virgie, "admitted to doing mushrooms" after police responded to
his 911 call and the teenager was admitted to Pikeville Medical Center at
2:57 a.m. Saturday, according to an arrest citation. The teen's condition
was not available yesterday.
Tackett was charged with endangering the welfare of a minor; second-degree
possession of a controlled substance, first offense; possession of
marijuana; and first-degree unlawful transaction with a minor.
Pike County school officials suspended Tackett with pay yesterday, and his
supporters expressed shock and dismay.
Test scores at G.F. Johnson are the highest in the system, and Tackett -- a
minister esteemed by parents and his staff -- has been considered one of
the district's "rising stars," supporters said.
Tackett was principal at Grapevine Elementary until it closed two years ago.
"I think it took everyone by surprise," said Tonia Hopson, the district's
instructional supervisor, who substituted yesterday for Tackett at the K-5
school.
He had been absent from school before last weekend, recovering from an
injury, she said.
"The faculty loved him and so did the kids," Hopson said. "It's been a
little bit teary-eyed here today."
Trooper Ivan Sewell said Tackett initially told a 911 dispatcher at 2:57
a.m. Saturday that a boy had been assaulted at his home. After meeting the
boy in the road at Tackett's home, Sewell went into the principal's living
room.
"We searched the premises and found several drugs," Sewell wrote.
Tackett was placed in the Pike County Detention Center at 6:30 a.m. and
released at 2:20 p.m. after posting a $10,000 cash bond, jail officials
said. Arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 28 in Pike District Court.
Boy Allegedly Ingested Mushrooms At School Official's Home
PIKEVILLE - A Pike County elementary school principal was arrested Saturday
after a 17-year-old boy apparently overdosed on hallucinogenic mushrooms at
his home, state police said.
Kyle Tackett, 32, a well-regarded principal at G.F. Johnson Elementary
School at Virgie, "admitted to doing mushrooms" after police responded to
his 911 call and the teenager was admitted to Pikeville Medical Center at
2:57 a.m. Saturday, according to an arrest citation. The teen's condition
was not available yesterday.
Tackett was charged with endangering the welfare of a minor; second-degree
possession of a controlled substance, first offense; possession of
marijuana; and first-degree unlawful transaction with a minor.
Pike County school officials suspended Tackett with pay yesterday, and his
supporters expressed shock and dismay.
Test scores at G.F. Johnson are the highest in the system, and Tackett -- a
minister esteemed by parents and his staff -- has been considered one of
the district's "rising stars," supporters said.
Tackett was principal at Grapevine Elementary until it closed two years ago.
"I think it took everyone by surprise," said Tonia Hopson, the district's
instructional supervisor, who substituted yesterday for Tackett at the K-5
school.
He had been absent from school before last weekend, recovering from an
injury, she said.
"The faculty loved him and so did the kids," Hopson said. "It's been a
little bit teary-eyed here today."
Trooper Ivan Sewell said Tackett initially told a 911 dispatcher at 2:57
a.m. Saturday that a boy had been assaulted at his home. After meeting the
boy in the road at Tackett's home, Sewell went into the principal's living
room.
"We searched the premises and found several drugs," Sewell wrote.
Tackett was placed in the Pike County Detention Center at 6:30 a.m. and
released at 2:20 p.m. after posting a $10,000 cash bond, jail officials
said. Arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 28 in Pike District Court.
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