Bradley Central High School coach charged with assault in June 11 incident in Hamilton County

A Bradley Central High School teacher and coach was arrested June 11 after an altercation at a party in Hamilton County in which someone allegedly used an offensive term for a person with developmental disabilities.

Daniel Quincy Hearn, 44, of the 1400 block of Buttonwood Loop, Chattanooga, is listed as a history teacher and assistant football and track coach at the high school.

Hearn was arrested on two counts of assault stemming from a remark made at a party at a nearby home on Buttonwood Loop in East Brainerd, according to an affidavit in Hamilton County General Sessions Court.

Hearn declined to comment when contacted Wednesday by phone. His status with Bradley County Schools is unknown.

"We do not comment on personal and personnel matters, and we will not comment," school system spokeswoman Brittany Cannon said Wednesday when contacted by phone.

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The homeowner told a Hamilton County sheriff's deputy he was having a get-together that night with neighbors, which included Hearn, who lives a few doors away, the affidavit filed by Hamilton County Sheriff's Deputy James Bradshaw stated.

Someone at the party said the word "retarted," according to Bradshaw's affidavit, which misspelled the slur. Hearn became upset.

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"When someone said the word again, Mr. Hearn became very upset and aggressive," Bradshaw's affidavit stated.

The homeowner asked Hearn to leave, but Hearn broke a beer bottle on a table and pushed the homeowner's wife down, according to the affidavit. The homeowner's wife was holding a wine glass and it broke and cut her hand when she fell.

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The homeowner stepped between Hearn and the homeowner's wife, and Hearn allegedly began to assault the homeowner, the affidavit stated.

Hearn then left the residence and went back to his home around the corner, where the deputy later spoke with him.

Hearn told Bradshaw the use of the word upset him because his daughter has Down syndrome, the affidavit stated. Hearn told the deputy he remembered breaking the beer bottle but nothing else.

Hearn was booked on the charges at the Hamilton County Jail and freed on a $1,250 bond, authorities said.

Contact Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569. Follow him on Twitter @BenBenton.

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