Elkins police arrested the Cedarville head football coach Wednesday morning after two fights, racial slurs and an attack on a Elkins police officer at Friday night’s 3A-1 Conference game in Elkins, according to a police incident report released Wednesday.
“It’s a pretty big issue,” Police Chief Bill Rhodes said Wednesday.
Kevin Joseph Lea, 36, of 2612 Highland Ave., in Van Buren was arrested in connection with inciting a riot, failure to disperse, second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor, harassment and obstruction of government operations — all misdemeanor offenses.
Lea had another address in Lavaca listed on the Oct. 20 warrant for his arrest. He’s the son of Andrea Lea, state auditor, she confirmed Wednesday.
Rhodes said he hadn’t seen a similar fight like what happened Friday night in Elkins, noting it was a near standoff between Cedarville football players and fans and Elkins school officials and fans. The incident was serious, he said.
Repeated calls to Dan Foreman, Cedarville superintendent and acting athletic director, and Lea weren’t returned Wednesday. Lea has been the Cedarville coach since 2014.
Elkins athletic director Aaron Clark said Wednesday he had no comment.
Referees broke up a fight between Cedarville and Elkins high school football players during the final minutes of the game, according to a preliminary police report.
Referees spoke to Lea, who police said was screaming and cursing at referees. The referees then signaled the end of the game, police said. Elkins was declared the winner of the game 16-6.
Lea and Cedarville players were upset, police said. Lea cursed at and called Elkins coach Thurman Shaw a racial slur, according to the preliminary police report. Shaw, who is black, and his players left the field after being asked to go, according to the report.
Lea walked back onto the field with his players, while still yelling, according to the report. School resource officer James Todd asked Lea to leave and take his players with him, according to the report.
“’I’m not going,’” Lea is quoted in the report as saying. He cursed the policeman and then swung his arms to keep the officer away, according to the report.
Todd was then “surrounded by Cedarville football players,” according to the report. Players shoved and taunted the officer, according to the report.
Sgt. Troy Reed said in the police report Lea’s actions caused “all of his players and other coaches to swarm” police, the report shows. Reed said in the report he was attending the game with his family. He left the stands to help Todd, who was working security at the game, according to the report.
Police said they have video of the incident.
Elkins fans saw what was happening on the field and left the stands to help the police, according to Reed in the report.
Todd was struck hard in his lower back, but he continued to tell Lea and his players to leave the field, according to the police report. Reed had a “busted upper lip” from either a helmet or shoulder pad, according to the report. The injuries to police officers were the only injuries reported, Rhodes said.
Lea’s players eventually pulled him away, according to the report.
At some point, police called other agencies for help. Elkins police decided not to arrest Lea on Friday because the arrest could have sparked a “more serious altercation,” according to the report.
Lea and his players left the field, but Cedarville fans then threatened Elkins fans, police said. Todd reported hearing one Cedarville fan say: “This isn’t over — they come to us Thursday.”
Tonight’s junior high football game was canceled Wednesday per Cedarville’s request. The Cedarville varsity is scheduled to host Marshall on Friday.
Rhodes said the crowds were separated by the time officers arrived from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, West Fork, Springdale and the Arkansas State Police.
Lea continued to be belligerent, and the acting principal for Cedarville escorted Lea onto the bus, according to the report. Elkins fans stood about 50 feet behind Reed and Elkins school administrators, according to the report. The Sheriff’s Office escorted the Cedarville team away, according to the report.
Lea was booked into the Washington County Detention Center at 11:36 a.m. and released Wednesday afternoon on $8,800 in bonds.