A Burke County Public Schools teacher who is also a basketball coach was arrested on assault charges stemming from an incident at a middle school basketball game.

PATRICK ALEXANDER KELLY

Patrick Alexander Kelly, age 26, was arrested on Jan. 31 and has been charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct and assault and battery related to an incident at a middle school basketball game on Jan. 26.

Kelly was issued a $1,000 secured bond which he posted and he was released the same day as his arrest. His first court appearance is on Feb. 20.

The alleged incident on Jan. 26 involved a basketball game between East Burke Middle School and Table Rock Middle School.

Warrant information states Kelly allegedly pushed an assistant basketball coach and a head coach. Kelly also allegedly pushed a student twice in the left arm and chest area. The assistant coach and the student were in the process of trying to stop Kelly from shoving the head coach when the two made contact with Kelly.

The shoving incidents apparently occurred after a call made by a referee which sent Kelly running toward Table Rock’s coach, according to a press release from the Burke County Sheriff’s Office.

A school resource officer who was on-site during the game took Kelly outside of the building but later released him after the Table Rock coaches and the student said they didn’t want to press charges.

According to Burke County Public Schools, Kelly is an exceptional children’s teacher at East Burke Middle School and also serves as the school’s assistant boys’ basketball coach. Per the district’s public relations officer, he has been suspended with pay pending the outcome of an investigation.

The district had not yet given a formal statement.

Records on file for the state do not list a Patrick Alexander Kelly, however, there is a license on file for a Patrick Kelly in the areas of Reading K-12, Elementary Education (K-6), and Media Coordinator. That license is set to expire in June of this year. It is unclear if that license is for the same individual.