LINTON – Linton Miners Head Basketball Coach Joey Hart’s contract was not renewed by the Linton-Stockton School Board in a 3-1 vote during their meeting on Monday.
Byron Goodman abstained from the vote. He had coached alongside Hart.
Hart asked for a medical leave to deal with his issue, but the school board denied that request.
Hart, 50, was placed on administrative leave after he was arrested on a public intoxication charge in the overnight hours of December 31st.
According to a Clay County Sheriff’s Department report, on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022, around 2:29 a.m., Clay County Dispatch received multiple witness reports of a red van that was stopped in the middle of State Road 159, south of SR 246 near Coalmont.
The driver of that van was Hart. Police said Hart was intoxicated, had red eyes, slurred speech, and smelled of alcohol.
He was incarcerated in the Clay County Jail in Brazil and his bond was set at $3,000.
Hart entered into a pretrial diversion agreement on Feb. 20, 2023, and paid $343 in court costs and filing fees to enter the program.
Hart was arrested the second time in March 2023 when Shelbyville Police officers Hart for operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangerment charge after stopping his vehicle on State Road 33 and South Marietta Street.
Hart was then placed on administrative leave indefinitely.
Superintendent Kathy Goad thanked Hart for his work in building the basketball program and wished him the best going forward.
Hart, who coached at Linton for 13 seasons, led them to three state title games and won over 20 games in 11 seasons.
