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Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009

Henry Clay English teacher arrested

FACES DRUG AND ALCOHOL CHARGES PLUS CHILD ENDANGERMENT

An article on page A3 Saturday was unclear about two separate police incidents involving a Henry Clay High School teacher. Erica Shannon Cooper, 38, was arrested Oct. 23 on North Upper Street, according to court records, and charged with public intoxication, endangering the welfare of a minor, and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. In an earlier incident, on Oct. 9, Cooper was charged by police with loitering. According to court records about that incident, police said she was in a car near a "known crack house" on North Upper Street. James D. Montgomery, 39, who police said was in the front passenger seat, also was charged with loitering. Montgomery was not with Cooper during the Oct. 23 incident.

An English teacher at Henry Clay High School was arrested Friday morning by Lexington police on drug and alcohol charges, and she was later charged with child endangerment after she told jail officials that she had left her toddler home alone.

According to Fayette District Court documents, Erica Shannon Cooper, 38, was arrested shortly after 4 a.m. Friday near a "known crack house" on North Upper Street. She was charged with endangering the welfare of a minor, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and public intoxication.

According to reports filed in district court, police noticed a black 2001 Nissan Maxima early Friday morning at Fourth and Chestnut streets in a "high drug-sales area." The car sped away when a police cruiser approached.

Police said officers spotted the Nissan a few minutes later near the reported crack house on North Upper. Police said Cooper and a second defendant, James D. Montgomery, 39, were in the front seat.

In a citation filed with the court, officers described Cooper as "manifestly under the influence," with slurred speech, a strong smell of alcohol and acting "very belligerent and combative."

Officers said there was another man in the car, Rodney M. Johnson, who is described in the report as a known "tour guide." Johnson told police that the two front-seat occupants were "trying to purchase cocaine with his assistance."

Montgomery was charged with loitering. Johnson was being held for contempt of court.

According to the report, Cooper admitted that she and Montgomery were "trying to do something we shouldn't."

While being booked into the Fayette County jail, Cooper told jail officials she had left her 2-year-old daughter home alone, according to police reports. Officers went to Cooper's apartment on North Limestone, where they found the child. While they were inside the home, the officers noticed "in plain sight a can containing marijuana and a marijuana pipe laying on the kitchen counter," according to the court filing.

A Fayette County Schools spokeswoman said later Friday morning that Cooper was placed on suspension with pay, pending an investigation.

Cooper has worked for the school district since 2007, school officials said.

She is scheduled for arraignment Monday.