Tennessee law enforcement announced on Wednesday that they had arrested a high school football coach for allegedly vandalizing the team's field house.
Marion County High School instructor and assistant football coach Michael Schmitt was arrested and submitted to Marion County jail on vandalism charges totaling between $1,000 and $10,000.
The Sheriff's department, which conducted the investigation in conjunction with Jasper police, could not confirm to the Times Free Press whether any of the other coaches were involved or knew about Schmitt's alleged actions, but did say that their office was still in the midst of an investigation.
The vandalism was believed to have been an effort to ramp up energy for an upcoming football game against rival team South Pittsburg. The latter team won the game 35-17.
"It is sad to say that this event gives the whole community a black eye, and the real victims of this incident are the kids from both the schools," Marion County Sheriff's Detective Matt Blansett, one of the arresting officers, told the Times Free Press.
Vulgarities sprayed in South Pittsburg's school colors of orange and block were found sprayed on the doors of the field house on Friday, Nov. 1. The vandal also wrote crude names for the Marion County coaches, along with large "P"'s to denote the South Pittsburg logo. Trash was also strewn about the field house. The vandalism cost the school "several thousand dollars" in damages, according to Marion County school superintendent Mark Griffith.
After further investigation, police uncovered enough evidence to place Schmitt under arrest on Wednesday.
South Pittsburg and Marion County have shared one of the most deeply-rooted and heated rivalries in Tennessee, according to the Times Free Press.
