Lithia Springs track and field coach arrested for sexual assault

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Georgia – A Douglas County high school teacher and track coach has been arrested and charged with sexually abusing a student at the school, the sheriff’s office said.

Kerry Hood, 47, was taken into custody after turning himself in to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday after probable cause was found for his arrest.

11Alive spoke to another high school coach and a close friend of Hood’s who declined to go on camera, but they were at a loss for words after learning the news. His friend said he hoped the allegations weren’t true. However, a former student said that while they were shocked, they weren’t surprised to learn it was him.

“It hurts me. No one should ever have to go through this. I was shocked. I just thought, wow, because I knew how close he was with a lot of those athletics students,” said Ryan Samples, a recent graduate of the school.

He graduated on May 23, four days before a student came forward, according to the sheriff’s office.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said it was notified Monday of a possible sexual assault at Lithia Springs High School. The victim told officials the assault occurred while she was a student at the school.

“Everyone needs to know whether or not there are more victims, especially if no one has come forward, because this could have been going on for a very long time. There are just an unknown number of people who could have experienced this, and they also need to help, and they also need to see justice,” Samples said.

Samples said Hood always had a close relationship with the track and field students on the team and they were constantly coming and going from his classroom.

“These incidents have allegedly occurred on school grounds and at other locations, including in other states. This is an incident in which an individual in a supervisory capacity took advantage of a student entrusted to their care,” the sheriff’s office said in a press release.

11Alive is working to learn more about additional alleged incidents involving the suspect.