Stephen Garland / Photo from hcsheriff.govA Hamilton County Schools administrator was arrested on Aug. 2 for allegedly driving under the influence.
Right before 3 a.m. on Sunday, Stephen Garland, an assistant principal at East Hamilton Middle/High School, was driving down Ooltewah Ringgold Road when a Hamilton County sheriff's deputy saw him crossing the center line before almost hitting the officer's vehicle, according to a police report.
Officers reported smelling alcohol on Garland and finding an open bottle of Crown Royal whisky on the floor near the passenger seat.
Garland told officers that he was returning home after a sports conference in Franklin, Tennessee, and admitted to drinking, but could not recall how much, according to the report, which went on to state that Garland refused a portable breath test and had trouble completing some of the standard field sobriety tests given, such as standing on one leg and walking in a straight line.
Garland was then arrested and held on a $2,000 bond at the Hamilton County Jail.
Attempts to retrieve a blood sample to test Garland's blood alcohol level after the arrest when officials obtained a warrant were futile, according to the report.
Garland served as a baseball coach in the district for 28 years before stepping down in June to fill an administrative role at East Hamilton.
His attorney, Lee Davis, said he would decline to discuss the case at this time as he was still gathering facts.
Hamilton County Schools officials had not responded late Wednesday to a Times Free Press request for comment.
Garland has a court date set for Aug. 19.