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Coach quits during criminal investigation
By ROBERT FARLEY and JOHN SCHWARB EAST LAKE -- East Lake High School girls basketball coach Willie Hopkins has resigned amid a criminal investigation of an undisclosed incident. Pinellas County sheriff's spokesman Cal Dennie confirmed that Hopkins is the subject of an active investigation into something that happened on Dec. 11 in Holiday. Hopkins, 23, resigned the same day. Neither Dennie nor school administrators would discuss the nature of the incident. Hopkins, who lives in an apartment in Holiday, likewise declined to discuss the incident. "Sometimes things aren't what they seem," Hopkins said Friday evening. "With any story, there is more to it than what everyone thinks or says. "I resigned for personal reasons," he said. "Just leave it at that." Hopkins was hired at East Lake High School on Aug. 17, 2000, taught language arts and spent two seasons as an assistant football coach. He was in his first year of coaching the basketball team. His salary this year was $29,850. The Sheriff's Office opened an investigation of Hopkins based on information forwarded by the East Lake campus police, Dennie said. Detectives interviewed Hopkins, the alleged victim and some people at the school. Because the incident is alleged to have occurred in Holiday, the matter was turned over to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office. Pasco sheriff's Sgt. Charles Calhoun said detectives there have not yet begun investigating. Jamie Joyner, assistant coach on the football team for five years, stood behind Hopkins. "As long as I've known Willie, I've never known him to be of questionable character," Joyner said. "He's always carried himself with the highest integrity and morals. "It's been hard for him," Joyner said. "In hindsight, for Willie it was probably a poor decision. I think he was doing something out of the goodness of his heart." Joyner described Hopkins as a respected and well-liked coach with a bright future. "All the kids looked up to him, and they still look up to him," Joyner said. "They care a lot about him. Basketball resumed quickly for East Lake after Hopkins' resignation, with games Thursday and Friday. Junior varsity coach Paul Wahnish was on the bench for both, though Eagles athletic director Wayne McKnight said a new coach will take over soon. East Lake was 1-7 on the season through Thursday. "They had a team meeting and aired out all their wants and desires," Wahnish said. East Lake principal Clayton Snare also remained mum. "The only thing I can say is that he resigned for personal reasons," Snare said. Hopkins said a time will come when people will hear more from him about what happened. But not now, he said. "Anybody who knows me knows what's in my heart," he said. "And they know I wouldn't do anything if it wasn't from my heart, regardless of what it is.' Asked what he planned to do now, Hopkins said, "I just know I'm getting out of this area for sure." This is the second time in a year that an East Lake coach has drawn the attention of law enforcement authorities. In April, Joseph Ransey pleaded guilty to felony charges that could have sent him to prison for 35 years. Ransey, 38, the former volunteer coach of an East Lake High School boys basketball team, had been accused of having a yearlong sexual relationship with a female student. Ransey, who was accused of twice getting the girl pregnant, pleaded guilty to handling and fondling a child under 16, child abuse and lewd and lascivious behavior. In May, however, Ransey did not show up for his sentencing hearing. In his absence, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Court records indicated Friday that there is still a warrant out for his arrest.
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From the Times North Pinellas desks |
