SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. — Sevier County High School Athletics Director Bryan Atchley has returned to his post after a DUI arrest on school campus on Sept. 25, 2021.
An incident report shows Atchley's blood alcohol content (BAC) was 0.125—above Tennessee's legal limit of 0.08.
The Sevier County Criminal Court Clerk's office said Atchley pleaded guilty to a reduced reckless endangerment charge and was sentenced to 11 months and 29 days supervised release, which would be reduced to unsupervised release when court costs were paid.
Bryan Delius, Atchley's attorney, said Friday he had paid all of the costs and is now in the unsupervised portion of his sentence.
"I think the state saw his stellar character and the fact that this is the only time he's had any type of infraction and chose to amend these charges and let him have an opportunity to clear up his record," Delius said.
The Sevier County School District said in a statement it suspended Atchley from his position as Athletics Director, Director of Football Operations and other athletic duties at SCHS without pay pending the outcome of court proceedings. Atchley continued to work as a teacher at the school and earn the pay associated with that position, the district said.
"After consultation between Mrs. Huskey, Director of Sevier County Schools, and Dr. Whaley, SCHS Principal, Mr. Atchley has been restored to his post as Athletics Director at Sevier County High School," said Tony Ogle, the Assistant Superintendent of Sevier County Schools. "Given the reduced nature of the charges to which he plead, it was decided that the term of suspension he served was appropriate."
Body camera and dash camera video from Atchley's arrest shows Officer Tommy Thompson stop Atchley's car after he turned into Sevier County High School. The incident report states Officer Thompson watched Atchley "fail to come to a complete stop prior to entering Dolly Parton Pkwy."
"Brother, you blew a stop sign at 30 miles an hour and almost T-boned a car," Thompson is heard telling Atchley on the body camera video.
Body camera video shows Atchley told officers he drove to the school in a panic, because parents had called him and told him something was happening at the school.
"I was at home and they called me and I got here in a hurry, because I was concerned," Atchley is heard telling the officer on the body camera video.
Officers initiated field sobriety tests on Atchley, the video shows. Atchley is heard on the video asking officers multiple times if he can go home.
"Can you follow me home?" Atchley asks.
"The way you were driving, no I can't follow you home," Thompson said. "That's my job on the line."
"He's been active and involved at Sevier County High School for years, and he's glad to be restored to this position," Delius said. "He's done such a great job serving the students there. He is ecstatic about being returned as Athletics Director."