An Azle ISD special education teacher has resigned after being arrested on a charge described as assault of a disabled or elderly individual, following an incident reported at Azle High School earlier this month.
Azle ISD says it first learned of the alleged incident on April 9 and immediately placed the staff member on administrative leave while the matter was investigated. Trustees were set to vote on the teacher’s possible dismissal at Monday's board meeting, but the employee resigned before the item could come up for action.
The staffer was identified by the district as Sawyer Stinchfield. He has been booked into the Tarrant County Jail, with no bond or hearing dates publicly listed, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Azle ISD says it notified parents of students in his classroom and referred the case to law enforcement while the criminal investigation moves forward.
District response and investigation
In a statement to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Azle ISD said it placed Stinchfield on leave, notified law enforcement and contacted all parents of students in his class. The district added that it is fully cooperating with the Azle Police Department.
“Azle ISD does not tolerate conduct that jeopardizes student safety or dignity and remains committed to providing a safe and supportive learning environment for all students,” the district said, noting that it is limited in what it can publicly share while police conduct an active criminal investigation.
Certification and the charge
State records list Stinchfield as holding a special education teaching certificate. The Texas Education Agency’s online certificate lookup shows his most recent credential was granted in 2025 and is set to expire in 2031, according to the Texas Education Agency.
The alleged offense, which the district described as assault of a disabled or elderly individual, falls under Texas Penal Code Section 22.04. That statute covers injury to a child, elderly person or disabled person and allows penalties that range from state jail time to a first-degree felony, depending on the accused person’s intent and the severity of the injury. If prosecutors can prove intentional conduct or serious bodily injury, the law permits the most serious felony charges.
District context
This case arrives on the heels of other recent criminal investigations involving Azle ISD staff. Local coverage reports that a district paraprofessional was arrested in March on a charge of injury to a child, and a former Azle coach was charged last year in a separate sexual assault case, according to The Azle News and The Azle News. As in those earlier incidents, the district has emphasized that it will work with investigators while saying that active cases limit how much detail it can release.
What’s next
With Stinchfield no longer employed by the district, any remaining personnel matters will be handled internally, separate from the criminal case. The criminal investigation itself will be led by the Azle Police Department and prosecutors in Tarrant County.
Azle ISD has said it will share updates as allowed by law. Families who have questions about the case are being directed to contact the district or local law enforcement for more information.
