Lowndes County School District’s board members opted Friday to delay a decision on hiring a Caledonia High School head football coach until after the recommended candidate’s court date for a pair of misdemeanor charges in D’Iberville.
David King, a 44-year-old assistant football coach and driver’s education instructor at Biloxi High School, was arrested following a 3:40 a.m. traffic stop on March 2 off Interstate 110. He’s been charged with careless driving and refusing to submit to a test for driving under the influence.
King has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and his trial date in D’Iberville Municipal Court is scheduled for May 22.
The board’s decision came after a nearly two-hour executive session during the board’s monthly meeting. No date has been set for board members to reconsider the matter.
No board members would comment on the record to The Dispatch after Friday’s meeting.
LCSD Superintendent Lynn Wright said district leaders are being “conscientious.”
“It takes a while on some decisions because we are trying to make sure the right one is made,” Wright said. “Because of pending circumstances, we feel it prudent to wait until some things are settled (with King) that are beyond our control.”
Caledonia High School principal Andy Stevens recommended King for the position.
King is still employed as an assistant coach at Biloxi High School, and served previous coaching stints at Hancock and West Point high schools.
King would replace Tim Nickens, who abruptly resigned on May 1. Nickens, who spent 2017 as defensive coordinator at New Hope, was hired at Caledonia in March to replace Ricky Kendrick, who resigned after the 2017 season.
Nickens worked with the team through about half of spring practice before calling it quits and never publicly gave a reason for his resignation.
Caledonia has had four head football coaches — two for two stints — in the last 11 seasons. The 2018 season will mark the third-straight year the program will have a new coach.
Nickens’ replacement will be the sixth person to lead the program since David Boykin was the head coach in 2007.
King has not responded to calls from The Dispatch for comment.
Education reporter Mary Pollitz, managing editor Zack Plair and sports editor Adam Minichino contributed to this report.
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