Kentucky man charged with assaulting high school girls’ basketball coach
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Man charged with third-degree assault of a school employee or volunteer.
- Defendant banned from games where Mahan coaches; arraignment Feb. 23.
- Coach Mahan, program’s winningest leader, initially declined to press charges.
An Eastern Kentucky man has been charged with assaulting a Kentucky high school girls basketball coach, according to court records.
Tommy Kilburn, 41, of Hyden, is charged with third-degree assault of a school employee or a school volunteer. Court records list Eddie Mahan, head coach of the North Laurel High School girls’ basketball coach, as the victim of the assault.
The circumstances of the incident were not included in court records. Jackson County Attorney Ross Murray previously told the Herald-Leader that Mahan had been assaulted by the father of one of the players of his own team.
The incident happened Feb. 3, the day North Laurel defeated 49th District rival Jackson County 73-21. The Jaguars have 41 straight wins over Jackson, a streak that dates to 2007.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office charged Kilburn Friday and released from jail Monday. He is banned from attending games where Mahan is coaching, according to court records.
Kilburn is scheduled to be arraigned in Jackson District Court Feb. 23, according to court records.
Mahan is the winningest coach in North Laurel program history and has led the Jaguars to four Girls’ Sweet 16 state tournament appearances as 13th Region champions, including the past three years.
He initially declined to press charges and said he couldn’t comment on the incident.
This story was originally published February 11, 2026 at 7:47 AM.
