LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Kentucky high school basketball coach is accused of assaulting and strangling a student, authorities said.
Richard Gatewood, 38, was arrested on Wednesday, according to Louisville Metropolitan Department of Corrections online booking records. He was charged with assault in the second degree and strangulation in the second degree, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported.
According to online court records, the victim is listed as a male juvenile, the newspaper reported.
Moore High basketball coach Richard Gatewood arrested, charged with strangulation of minor https://t.co/Dqlci7ckI5
— Courier Journal (@courierjournal) February 8, 2023
Gatewood, who is the basketball coach at Marion C. Moore High School in Louisville, allegedly became involved in a verbal confrontation with the student, who is a relative, on Tuesday night in the school’s gymnasium, WLKY-TV reported.
The student attends Moore Middle School, according to WAVE-TV.
During the confrontation, Gatewood allegedly grabbed the boy and slammed him to the floor and into the gym’s bleachers, according to the television station. Gatewood also allegedly placed the boy into a chokehold, the Courier-Journal reported, citing court documents.
According to the police report, the incident was caught on school surveillance video, WDRB-TV reported. The student’s mother took photos of his injuries, according to the television station.
Gatewood appeared in court on Thursday, where a judge placed his bail at $15,000 with a stipulation of no contact with the victim, the Courier-Journal reported. Gatewood is allowed to appear on the high school campus but was ordered to have no contact with anyone from the middle school, according to the television station.
Gatewood, who posted bail, and his attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to the newspaper.
Moore athletic director Tim Gentry said that Pat McGee, the current head coach for the school’s junior varsity basketball team, will serve as Moore’s interim coach. the Courier-Journal reported.
Jefferson County Public Schools spokesperson Carolyn Callahan said that Gatewood is still employed as “we are going through our policies and procedures,” WDRB reported.
Gatewood is scheduled to appear in Jefferson District Court on Feb. 17, online records show.
