The New York school district superintendent arrested on a DWI charge after being spotted crowd surfing in the stands during a Friday night football game has been put on administrative leave, the board said following a hearing Monday.
In a statement, the Baldwinsville Board of Education said it shared concerns over the actions of Superintendent Jason Thomson, describing his behavior at the Baker High School game as placing "the student body and the community at risk."
The board said it was continuing an investigation alongside local police and would not comment further until it's completed. In the meantime, Thomson has been put on leave, with Joseph DeBarbieri being named acting superintendent effective immediately.
"The Board supports Mr. DeBarbieri as he works with students, staff and the community through this challenging time," the statement said.
Much of the Friday night fracas was captured on video, with footage showing a man identified as Thomson crowd surfing in the stands. According to police, multiple students who saw him told staff they thought he was drunk.
A short time later, police say a cop saw the 48-year-old superintendent driving a car without a front license plate and make a turn without using a signal, which prompted a traffic stop, authorities said. Thomson allegedly failed field sobriety tests and was arrested on a number of traffic violations.
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He was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court later this month. Information on a possible attorney for him wasn't immediately available. Thomson hasn't commented on the incident.
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It wasn't clear if administrative leave included pay.
