Veteran Bearcat baseball skipper Mark Daniels won’t be in the dugout this spring for Virginia High, a school official confirmed Wednesday.
Bristol, Va., school officials would not elaborate on Daniels’ one-season suspension, but it comes on the heels of his Dec. 6 misdemeanor conviction for driving while intoxicated in Washington County, Va.
According to Washington County General District Court documents, Daniels was pulled over Nov. 21 at mile-marker 27.7 on Interstate 81 for “weaving back and forth across lanes of Interstate 81 [southbound].”
Virginia State Trooper R.C. Hughes wrote that he smelled a “strong odor of alcohol” on Daniels – who later identified himself as a school teacher – and administered an “Alcosensor” test that came back “very” positive, according to Hughes’ report.
Hughes wrote Daniels “staggered” as he walked and opted against giving Daniels a field-sobriety test for fear that Daniels would “fall into traffic.” Daniels, when asked to recite his ABCs, lost track after the letter G, Hughes wrote.
Daniels faces a second misdemeanor charge for refusing a blood/breath test after, as Hughes wrote, “he gave a deficient sample.” That case goes before a judge Friday.
Daniels, the 2010 Bristol Herald Courier baseball coach of the year and a former Virginia High quarterback and baseball player, took over the program in 1994 and led the Bearcats to nine district championships, six regional titles, one state title and two runner-up finishes – the most recent coming in ’10.
Virginia High athletic director Barry Reed said a decision has been made on who will coach the Bearcats in 2012, but he is awaiting school board approval at its Jan. 15 meeting before announcing the decision.
A phone message left at Daniels’ home Wednesday was not returned.
Bristol Virginia Superintendant of Schools Mark Lineburg said Daniels, if he “complies with every thing,” could be back in the Bearcat dugout for the 2013 season.
“He’s been with us a long time,” Lineburg said. “He’s going to step away from it and we hope he’ll be back in the fold soon.”
Daniels, Lineburg said, will be allowed to teach at Virginia High, where he’s a physical education and health instructor.
The decision to suspend Daniels, Lineburg said, was not an easy one.
“We want to be respectful to everybody,” he said. “Sometimes, as a school system, you have to take action, but you also want to balance it with respect to your employees as well. It was a tough decision.”
Daniels, according to court documents, was levied a 90-day suspended sentence, paid $431 in fines and court costs, and had restrictions placed on his license that allow him to drive to and from work, ASAP meetings, during work hours, for medically necessary travel and to transport a minor child.
“We want what’s best for Mark,” Lineburg said, “and the Bearcats.”
jsacco@bristolnews.com | Twitter: @Sacco_BHCSports | (276) 645-2572
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