KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knoxville Catholic High School head football coach Steve Matthews has resigned from his position following last week's arrest for driving under the influence and drug possession, the Diocese of Knoxville announced in a release on Monday.
“We are grateful for the years of service that Steve has given Knoxville Catholic High School,” president of Knoxville Catholic High School Dickie Sompayrac said. “He’s a championship caliber coach and we regret that his tenure at KCHS has ended this way. We respect Steve’s decision and we will pray for him and his family as he moves ahead,” Sompayrac added.
Matthews was suspended at Catholic on April 2 after his arrest.
The search for a new head football coach will begin immediately, the Diocese said.
ORIGINAL STORY
Knoxville Catholic High School said it has suspended head football coach Steve Matthews with pay after Knoxville police arrested him Thursday night for driving under the influence and drug possession.
The school's director of marketing and communication said they learned of the arrest Friday morning and do not plan to make a statement about it.
The Diocese of Knoxville said school leadership and Bishop Richard F. Stika are aware of the incident, but cannot comment until a review of the facts can be conducted.
According to arrest records, an officer pulled Matthews over at the intersection of Maloney Road and Alcoa Highway just before midnight Thursday.
The officer said Matthews appeared to have bloodshot eyes and was slurring his speech, saying he noticed an open can of Smirnoff Ice Smash Screwdriver in the back pocket of the front passenger seat.
When the officer asked him to step out of his vehicle, they said Matthews was unsteady and his breath smelled of alcohol.
Matthews told the officer he had five or six beers at first, and changed his answer to three or four beers when asked later, according to the arrest report.
The officer said Matthews refused a field sobriety test and was taken into custody, also refusing to provide a blood or breath sample for testing.
When the officer searched his vehicle, they said they found a plastic bag containing seven white capsule-shaped pills, which were later identified as acetaminophen and hydrocodone bitartrate (Vicodin), which is a schedule 2 prescription narcotic.
The officer said Matthews told them he believed he had a prescription for the pills, but could not provide proof at the time of the stop.
Authorities took Matthews into custody and towed his vehicle, saying he was "intoxicated and a danger to himself."
Matthews is scheduled to appear in court for DUI first offense, simple possession, and violating implied consent charges on May 4 at 10 a.m.
