Leesburg High School's principal, Michael A. Randolph, was taken into custody over the weekend on charges of driving under the influence (DUI), as per jail records from the Lake County Sheriff's Office. According to FOX 35 Orlando, Randolph was arrested around 2:30 a.m. last Saturday, and he posted bond a few hours later, at around 8 a.m., the same day.
Randolph, who has spearheaded the administration at Leesburg High School since 2017, was praised back in 2021 as the Teacher of the Year for the Lake County School District. However, the renowned educator now faces a second-degree misdemeanor for DUI, but he has chosen to plead not guilty to the charges. WESH 2 News stated that he was booked into the Lake County Jail and subsequently released on a $1,000 bond.
The incident has prompted a response from Lake County Schools, which read, "The District was recently informed of the arrest of Leesburg High School Principal Michael Randolph for driving under the influence. Mr. Randolph has pled not guilty to the charges. The incident did not occur during a school activity or involve students or employees. The District takes these charges seriously and holds all of its leaders to high standards of personal conduct." This statement continues to express that since Randolph has not been adjudicated guilty of the charges, the District will "reserve judgment and further comment until conclusion of the judicial process," as stated in an official statement obtained by FOX 35 Orlando.
