Community reacts to high school football coach with DWI charge
WAKE FOREST, N.C. (WTVD) -- How did Wake Forest High School football coach Reggie Lucas get hired with a criminal past? Wake County Public School System officials wouldn't directly answer that question.
They would only tell ABC11 that they do a criminal background check on all potential employees and decide whether to hire them on a case-by-case basis.
So they apparently know that Lucas was convicted of assault on an officer three years before they hired him as a teacher in 1999. He served a year of probation for the misdemeanor.
He has other convictions as well including having an open container of alcohol in the passenger compartment of his car in 1992.
Some in the booming town of Wake Forest aren't bothered that Wake school officials were apparently willing to hire Lucas despite his record.
"You hope that someone's recovered and learned their lessons or at least made some smarter decisions. It's just a shame that sometimes these things come back to haunt you", said Wake Forest resident Eileen Notte as she shopped at an antique store in the quaint downtown area.
Still Notte is troubled by his arrest for DWI this week after a breathalyzer test showed his blood-alcohol level at more than twice the legal limit.
"It's a shame for the kids. It's a shame for him. It's a shame for everybody," said Notte.
However, some supporters of the coach think his current suspension, which will cause him to miss his undefeated team's playoff game tonight, is overreaching.
"It's not going to any good for him not to be there. That ain't going to rectify nothing," said Wake Forest resident David Ross as he hung out at the hardware store.
A few doors down at Shorty's Hot Dogs, Sherry Barbour said she has known Lucas since the two attended Wake Forest High School. She thinks Lucas deserves another chance.
"I support him and his efforts and what he's done for our community and the team," Barbour said. "And I hope that he can work through this."
But as for what happens next, Notte says, "I'm glad I don't have to make that decision. I would have to really think about who's at stake. I mean this is a bad role model, kids are looking up to him, if this is something that is part of his character. You know, these are things that have to be looked at."
No matter their position on the issue, everyone we spoke with says they hope the boys on the football team can dig down deep tonight and play well.
