Quinlan Athlete Says He Was Choked By Track Coach

By Carol Cavazos, CBS 11 News

April 28, 2011 10:45 PM

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Choking, Ford High School, Student Athlete

QUINLAN (CBSDFW.COM) – A North Texas high school student says his coach crossed the line, grabbing him around the throat. The athlete from Quinlan ISD says it happened during a track meet in Caddo Mills.

But even if he can prove it, state law may prevent the coach from facing serious charges.

Coley Turbeville said, “I just remember one hand going right here and he just squeezed.”

Turbeville says the hand belonged to Virgil Crow, the Ford High School Athletic Director in Quinlan who is
also his track coach.

Turbeville’s mother, Crystal Devine, said, “I was shocked. Honestly I thought it was another coach.”

It happened when Ford was at Caddo Mills on the last day in March. Witnesses say Coley was runnnig alongside his teammates, cheering them on when the coach grabbed him.

“That’s what I saw. He was shoving him back, about five steps back, like this,” a man said, showing the way it looked by placing his hands around his throat.

He and another witness, fearing retaliation, did not want to be identified. “I turned around and sure enough. Coach Crow did have his hands around Coley’s neck.

“I didn’t know you could get disqualified for running along the track,” Coley said.

Coley filed with police who say the Coach and the coach’s witnesses never saw a choke hold.

According to the police, the coach says he grabbed Coley by the chin. Police also say Coley didn’t include pain or injury in his statement.

“I mean my adrenaline was pumping so fast. I guess I wasn’t feeling any pain really,” Coley said.

Without a complaint of injury or pain, the incident could potentially be placed in a category called “local parentis.”

That’s when a coach or teacher in the role of a parent restrains a child. It also means charges could be dismissed altogether.

“I don’t think he has a right to put his hands around my throat and squeeze,” Coley said.

His mother said, “If he could do this to my son, you better believe he’s going to do it again.

Coley only wants to participate in sports again. He says he’s technically still in athletics but not allowed to participate. Quinlan ISD Superintendant Mike French denies Coley’s being kept from participating in sports.

We tried to reach the coach through his attorney but our call was never returned.

Meantime, police filed their report with the Hunt County Attorney today. He said if the case does go to trial, the maximum sentence would be one year in jail and/or a four-thousand dollar fine.

The minimum would be probation.

Quinlan Athlete Says He Was Choked By Track Coach

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[...] Student Athlete Says He Was Choked By Track Coach A North Texas high school student says his coach crossed the line, grabbing him around the throat. The athlete from Quinlan ISD says it happened during a track meet in Caddo Mills. Go to News Source [...]
KaiXan

After reading the article, I’m not sure what has happened. A coach has no business grabbing a player around the throat. By the arm, by the uniform or jacket, yes, but by the throat, no. But there is no comment by the coach. I would like to hear that. I was assaulted by a track coach, that resulted in a fractured arm, and was told to “suck it up.” by him and my parents. While a lifelong athlete, I do not agree with this man-handling (male or female) of young athletes! What is going on?
miranda

why isnt this coach in jail i dont care whatever the child did ; he didnt do anything wrong

Venus

Because he did nothing wrong.

allen

Then lets have him do that to you, or your kids if it’s nothing! How stupid of you to think that!

miranda

well t here is more ppl that seen what happened coach crow is a coward 2 put his hands on a child and if ppl like you can post things like this well, that pretty much makes u one too at least he can stand up for his self if nothing happened why and the hell is the school tryin so hard to cover it up and lie about coley bein in ath, class

LACY

IS IT ALSO TRUE THE QISD IS KEEPING HIM OUT OF ATHLETES CLASS? IF SO HOW CAN THEY DO THIS TO THE CHILD WHAT DID HE DO WRONG THERE IS ALOT OF EMPLOYERS NOT TAKING RESPONSBILTY FOR THEIR ACTIONS AT THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT IT SEEMS TO ME ; JUST LAST YEAR THEY ALSO GOT IN TROUBLE

JLM

yes it is true that he is not in athletics

Jason

For people who dont know Coach Crow, you have know reason to talk. This guy needs to be doing something else, he is not coach material. He is just a time bomb waiting to go off. He has always had anger issues

LACY

I JUST DONT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN WHAT IF HE REALLY HURTS THE NEXT KID WELL THERE ARE RUMORS THAT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME ANOTHER IN QISD , SCURRY TX
YEAH.

. Okay for one, Coley is a brat. All he does is cause trouble. OBVIOUSLY none of you people know him personally. I go to school with this kid and he’s ALWAYS been a problem. He has major respect issues. He’ll mouth off to adults just as quick as he would a kid his age. He’s always been like this. And how would he not know that running along side the track would be a DQ? He’s been in track for how many years now? And that’s one of the first rules you learn at a meet. Yeah, maybe he should have thought out his lie more thoroughly before going to the news. Hmmm.

chrissy

it would really look bad on the hunt county attorney office doesnt file charges qisd it seems like they are in alot of trouble already
Robert

So I guess its ok for school staff to assault students since QUINLAN ISD has done nothing about this. I dont know this so called coach but this is my good friend that I have known for 17 years and I know he is not a trouble maker and does very well in school and in sports. I went to Ford High School back in 2003 and I will be the first to say that is the worst school for kids to attend.

Nancy

You are exactly right. I had an instance with QISD with my child in 2007 and was told that QISD is an internal city and the police did not get involved. I had to get a hold of the county sheriff to take a report. NOTHING was done and my son was retaliated against. We had no help. It was a hellish senior year for him. Good luck Coley. They will stick together and turn it on you.
YEAH.

Yeah, if you’ve known Coley for so long…. you would know that he IS a troublemaker, and has extreme disrespect issues.

Anon

for anyone who is a student at Quinlan you know first, the kid has serious issues with authority and has been like that since I have known him. Most coaches would have already kicked a kid out for some of the things this kid has done but they have continually given him second chances. Coach Crow got here and immediately things changed for the better. He not only cares about winning, but cares about the kids. Even the student that is saying this stuff. I was at the track meet, Coach Crow was pulling the kids of the track because it is against the rules, the student completely over reacted, even to the point that he stripped off his track uniform in front of everyone. Coach Crow may have over reacted a little by pulling the kids off the side of the track but there defiantly wasn’t any chocking going on.

Devra Engen Hunter

I don’t believe that these kids should be “man-handled” BUT I get tired of seeing parents who support their child when they break rules, disrespect authority, act rudely, and then cry wolf! This kid felt NO pain because there was no pain. He
claims innocence for any wrong doing….bet ya that his past behavior speaks volumes about this incident as well.

Another parent who’s child is innocent and does know wrong. I know one just like this. Likes to start the ball rolling and then sit back and watch the adults poke each other’s eyes out! We give these kids too much control…wait until his parents tick him off and the lies will be on them. Wait til he falsely accuses them and the whole town believes the kid. I am not saying that the coach didn’t make a bad decision but there are 2 sides to every story. Also, if soooooo many parents thought this coach was such a hot head why haven’t y’all intervened before now. Why haven’t you protected your kids before now. There is probably enough blame to go around….take your share. Teach your kids honesty not blowing things out of proportion just to get out of trouble for not following the rules. How long has this kid been in track not to know that he could be disqualified for his actions. Make your children be accountable for their actions…..remember you could be the next victim of their untruths.

Anon

Maybe you should learn your facts. This coach was fired 10 years ago for having relations with a high school girl. This coach is crazy, and he did grab his neck, and he deserves to be punished. Also this student was cheering on the COACHES son…..
Monica

Anon
Here is a rational thought, lets gather YOUR facts….when exactly did this happen and whats the girls name and did you witness this first hand? NO you did not and you need to consider every thing you say has consequences for this man and his family. what your saying is slander and without proof he should come after you in litigation, I would. But being that i know a lot of these said athletes you claim say he cusses and states he is “hung like a horse” I will personally investigate myself.
mandy

maybe u should realize that this coach needs to be accountable for his actions and its parents like u that gives other parents a bad name this isnt even about his parents it is about this child this coach was fired 10 years ago from the same district u must really be ashamed / guess u teach your kids this is how parents should be have

GeoHot

Anon you are very uneducated because coach crow did anything any other coach would of. New stadium wow new uniforms. new helmets anyone who is best friends with Mr french can get anything. You say he also cares about winning, first off, sports are made to have fun its not all about winning. Coming off a 6-4 football team and only beating emory in district. He is a good coach but very short temp…You dont put your hand on another kid no matter what he’s doing. He didnt know you could get D-Q for being on the track. Everyone who says he didnt see coach crow choke him is flat out lieing for a man built with lies. How are you going to sleep at night knowing that your sticking up for a coach who abuses his power. i played football for him and seen him grab his own son Kyle Crow by the throat. This needs to be put to a end. Why should he be kicked out of sports maybe Virgil crow needs to be suspended. If he knew he was’nt guilty why wouldnt he answer there phone calls? Seems like someone has somthing to hide. Well Have fun with that So called Coach

GeoWarm(;

The reason the team got new uniforms was because we are not aloud to wear red as it is not our school color, the helmets are not new, they are just pained….
GeoWarm(;

Also, the stadium isn’t new, it has been redone, and only because of all the injuries that happened on the field before he came to this school.
gail

so bc he help the school get new stuff its ok for him to assault a student no i dont thank so if this was ur child would u sit back and let him do this to ur chidren

qtown

Fire the coach and Austin needs to step up amd do something about QISD…
Venus

This story is a buunch of lies, there is no way that a coach is gonna choke anouther srudent, quinlan might have a bad rep but its only cause the quinlan crack heaed parents that make their kids do things like this, how could he choke coley if he pulled back two students at one time one in each hand and running at the same time no less, i live here nad go to the high school and it make me mad that people like this cant get off their butts and do something better with thier lifes. cant we all just enjoy what time we have in high school instead of worrying about drama. If you dont like to coach get over it, hes helped change our school, and i respect him for that. Thank You Coach Crow1

Nancy

Learn how to spell and then leave a comment on their behalf. Is this what QISD school is teaching you? Rethink your stand.

Monica

Nancy,
I’m a resident of Quinlan and i have children in this district, and i CAN spell…. Coach Crow has turned things around in this town of people that are afraid of change and discipline, not only does he promote our lord in the public eye and touched the lives of a lot of kids in the high school he has also touched the lives of my children in the other schools in this town he is a good man and these hoodlums that don’t like change are trying to run him out of this town.
Devra Engen Hunter

attack this kid for spelling in a public forum….very mature….NOT! You rethink! And QISD school….maybe you could re think that Quinlan Independent School District school….wow that made sense! Speak on the issue instead of attack a
student that wasn’t involved.
Anon

Monica,
Yes, he promotes the lord of the public, but he also goes around telling the athletes he’s hung like a horse, had relations with a high school student 10 years ago, at QISD! He also swears a lot around the athletes. Yes the Athletes pray before everygame, and after every game and practice, but because its our tradition, we were doing it before he was here.
Richard

Anon
Sounds to me like you have a personal vendetta against coach crow, and your dragging unconfirmed accusations out against this man, that has absolutely nothing to do with this incident and has absolutely no merit.

Venus & Autumn

Coley needs to get off his hgh horse and chill out , dont be a baby grow up this is high school not day care(:

gail

what would u do if this happen 2 u ; or 2 ur child

les

did this kid think what his school life is going to be after this !!!! what a candya##

Eric

Are you the teacher? Atleast he is not a coward and is standing up for himself. It’s not like he is a pathetic grown man calling a child a candyass!

Venus

lieing makes him a oward, if he want to be a man then he needs to act like one, there aint enough evidence to put coach crow in jial, he wont go, coley needs to man up and get over himself, he messed up and got embarrased by it, like i said he needs to get off his high horse and chill out, he needs to stop being a baby and grow up, aint he in high school , this aint no day care.
les

yes he stood up for himself but that’s not going to help his school life now !!!!!!!
anon

Venus, if he pushed a kid out of the way and grabbed coley, and had witnesses, how is it lying? Just because you want to be a suck up, and don’t know what happened because you were not there, how is he lying? exactly, get your facts straight, most of the athletes that were at the track meet saw it happening, and came to the school the next day and were discussing about it.

SLC

hes a good student and has done a lot for school and community. but ya he does get fired up and stuff like that. but i don’t agree with him putting his hands on a good friend of mine. now i was not at the track meet so i have no clue if it really happened or not.
SLC

round 2?
SLC

why hasn’t the coach been sent to death row yet?
SLC

what happens in ath class?
SLC

i think that kid might have had a gun anyways sooo….
SLC

Has anyone really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like?
SLC

well t here is more ppl that seen what happened coley is a coward 2 put his hands on a coach and if ppl like you can post things like this well, that pretty much makes u one too at least he can stand up for his self if nothing happened why and the hell is the school tryin so hard to cover it up and lie about coach bein in ath, class
jack daniels

it was wrong for a teacher to put his hands on another parents child
SLC

This story is a buunch of lies, there is no way that coley is gonna choke anouther srudent, quinlan might have a bad rep but its only cause the quinlan crack heaed parents that make their kids do things like this, how could he choke coach if he pulled back two students at one time one in each hand and running at the same time no less, i live here nad go to the high school and it make me mad that people like this cant get off their butts and do something better with thier lifes. cant we all just enjoy what time we have in high school instead of worrying about drama. If you dont like being a student get over it, hes helped change our school, and i respect him for that. Thank You Coley

Venus

dude read the article again it never said that coley was outin his hands on another student it says that he is filing a charge that coach crow choked him which he clearlly did not, dont call me a coward because u dont know me, i havent done one thing but tell coley to grow up, so you chill out as well do you not have anything to do better with your life then sit here and bad mouth a girl you dont know, did caoch touch him maybe yeah he did but did he choke him no he didnt, and im not a suck up i dont even go to frod right now dont have any contact with coach nothing, so tell me to get my facts straight, when you should be the one to get yours straight dude.

Allen

Nothing will happen. My son has been hit with a football in the chest on purpose from one of the coachs, and slammed down by another coach. They are allowed to do things like that there in Quinlan it seems! Good luck on anything happening to him!!!!!!!
ANN

ANYONE THAT HAS SOMETHING NEGATIVE TO SAY NEEDS TO ASK THEIRSELVES HOW THEY WOULD FEEL IF THAT WAS THEIR CHILD. I KNOW IF IT WAS MINE ID KICK THAT COACHES ASS UP BETWEEN HIS SHOULDERS. NOONE HAS THE RIGHT TO PUT THEIR HANDS ON SOMEONES CHILD. HELL WE CANT EVEN WHOOP OUR KIDS ASS SO HOW IN THE HELL IS A COACH GOING TO EXPECT TO GET AWAY WITH CHOKING SOMEONES KID.

Autumn

Ann,
If that was my child i’d have busted his butt a long time ago!!!!!

Anon

This is the USA and we have a court of laws. Now we know where the limited vocabulary and negative attention comes from. Step up parents you can do better. You may be costing a God fearing man his career with your acusations and half-truths.

tax payer of qtown

well the kid isnt a liar there are alot more wittness and if everyone wants to put this child and his family down well its un called for maybe u parents should teach your kids right from wrong and teach them to stand up for them selves and not to let a coach assualt a student

Venus

if he listened to the rules when they are explained to him then he would have known not to go over the rope, saying he didnt know was a lie… dude he just needs to grow up
GeoWarm(;

Venus, you’re not in guys athletics, the rules aren’t explained. Learn your facts bro.

Richard

This CHILD in question is the very one who led a bunch of other kids to go to Farmersville and fight a group of kids there over being called a name. He is also a child that thinks it is appropriate to spit in peoples faces, offer our other children alcohol and when adults correct him he feels it appropriate to tell them to go F themselves. So YOU tell me he is a good student and contributes to our community. Yes this is exactly the CHILD with an abundance of morals you are all supporting in trying to run a good coach and role model out of our town.

God don’t like ugly!

Amen….there is my answer! I knew that his behavior was probably going to tell the TRUE story and it did! This no little angel….this kid needs help and the seat of the pants might be a better place to start. Just like I stated earlier….no RESPECT…no MORALS….no CHARACTER….no INTEGRITY! If the parent doesn’t defend him then that will probably incriminate them, too! Fruit still doesn’t fall far from the tree!

Elizabeth Seargeant

GOD also does not like others to judge! That is not your answer,you are simply going buy what others are saying. Coley is a CHILD!!!! NO matter what ANY CHILD does it does NOT give any adult the right to put their hands on a child in such a way.

gail

this kid doesnt drank , smoke , do drugs so ur saying its ok 4 a teacher , coach to put their hands on this childs neck no i dont thank so get a life

Richard

Gail i know for a fact coley drinks he was caught giving alcohol to another kid and when he was confronted he replied he was a minor and the adult couldnt touch him so go F yourself, so u dont know what your talking about
Venus

dude ” this kid doesnt drank” sounds like you need to get a life, hes in high school its bull to say he dont party, he talks about it all the time.
anon

Don’t you all get it? “Gail” is Crystal, his mother!!!