Lewis Holloway, the superintendent for the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District, has been placed on paid administrative leave after being arrested Monday and charged with two counts of simple assault by threat.
Holloway is accused of firing a handgun in the air during a disturbance on Mt. Olive Road about 6:45 p.m. Sunday, according to a Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Office media release. No one was injured in the incident. Holloway lives on Mt. Olive Road. Authorities said other people involved in the incident signed affidavits against Holloway, which led to a warrant being issued for his arrest Monday. The firearm allegedly used has been confiscated, authorities said.
Holloway was released after posting a $1,000 bond. He now awaits trial.
The Dispatch on Monday asked Oktibbeha County Justice Court officials for the affidavits involved in the case. Justice Court Judge Jim Mills denied the request, saying the case is pending before the court.
In the wake of Holloway’s arrest, the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District board held a special called meeting Monday. During executive session, board members voted to put Holloway on leave.
Following the meeting, board members released a statement, which was read by board secretary Keith Coble.
“Dr. Keith Coble made a motion, seconded by Jenny Turner, to place Dr. Holloway on administrative leave with pay pending a thorough investigation by school board attorney John Hill,” the statement read. “The Starkville-Oktibbeha School District has a strong leadership team. We remain focused first and foremost on the students, teachers, principals and other personnel at our schools. We will make sure they have all that they need to be successful as the new school year begins.”
Holloway, accompanied by former county prosecutor Roy Carpenter, attended the meeting. He declined comment.
Holloway makes $183,750 a year.
Board president Eddie Myles said assistant superintendents Toriano Holloway and Jody Woodrum would fill in for Holloway during his absence. Myles said he hopes for a quick investigation, but the district will remain focused on continued smooth operation.
“We’re going to just run it like we always run it,” Myles said. “We have a board meeting Tuesday and we believe (the assistant superintendents) will be able to come in and hit the ground running.”
Myles said the school board will await the results of law enforcement’s investigation because the incident occurred away from district property and did not involve the district. He said there are “not any facts” at the moment and that the board has considered the claims against Holloway. He added that Holloway presented his side of the incident to the board when he briefly entered during executive session.
Myles said board members don’t want to be hasty and that the district will ultimately move on from the incident “with or without” Holloway.
“You never anticipate something like this happening … all we can do is roll with the punches,” Myles added. “And be like a rubber ball and bounce back.”
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