Maiden High School's head football coach has resigned from his coaching job, days after being arrested over the weekend on charges including driving while impaired. Will Byrne, 43, self-reported the charges to Catawba County Schools, and the district responded by suspending him with pay from his teaching position while it investigates.
According to whky.com, Byrne told the district he had been charged over the weekend with driving while impaired, reckless driving with endangerment, and a child-related charge. Byrne was arrested by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol on Saturday in Cleveland County, per qcnews.com, and was released from jail after posting a $2,500 bond, with his driver's license revoked for 30 days.
Byrne submitted his resignation as head football coach effective immediately, citing health reasons, the district said in a statement reported by whky.com. Catawba County Schools then placed him on suspension with pay from his teaching position effective Monday, October 26, pending the outcome of its investigation, the same report noted.
District Response and a New Man on the Sideline
Catawba County Schools said in a statement carried by 860wacb.com that the district takes the charges seriously and expects employees to exercise sound judgment consistent with their responsibilities as educators and role models. The district also acknowledged the concern the news may cause among students, families, staff, and the broader Maiden community, according to the original reporting compiled by WCNC.
Justin Hawn, already part of the Maiden High coaching staff, has been named interim head coach for the remainder of the season, 860wacb.com reported. Hawn takes over a program Byrne had led since 2019, with the Maiden Blue Devils sitting at 4-5 this season and one regular-season game left on Saturday, October 31, per qcnews.com.
What's Still Unresolved
The precise nature of the charge involving a child has not been settled in available reporting, with whky.com describing it as child endangerment and qcnews.com describing it as child abuse. WCNC reported that court records showed Byrne's blood alcohol concentration was 0.19% and that his next court date is November 6. The resignation and suspension came swiftly after the arrest, leaving the Maiden community to process the fallout as the team heads into its season finale under new leadership.
