Harrison County DA: Hallsville ISD Coach under Investigation

MARSHALL — Harrison County District Attorney Coke Solomon says there is a criminal investigation involving a Hallsville High School coach on administrative leave who recently resigned. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. Solomon said his office forwarded a request for information about Dean McDaniel to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office for an opinion on whether to withhold the information because he believes releasing it could interfere with the investigation. In the letter, Solomon wrote that release of the information could “interfere with the detection, investigation and prosecution of a crime.”

McDaniel, a track and cross country coach for 13 years at Hallsville ISD, recently resigned from the district citing personal reasons. His resignation is effective Dec. 31, and he will remain on paid administrative leave until that date. An open records request was filed Sept. 30 with the Hallsville ISD Police Department and the Harrison County District Attorney’s office asking for any and all criminal complaints, reports, or cases involving McDaniel. Hallsville ISD police did not respond to the request other than to say the request was forwarded to Solomon’s office.

A settlement between McDaniel and the district stipulates that McDaniel never work in Hallsville ISD again. The agreement also states the district and McDaniel agree not to talk badly of each other and agree to not sue each other. It also states that the district will seal all “negative documentation” related to McDaniel.