Substitute teacher scheduled for Austintown court appearance Monday

Staff report

AUSTINTOWN

A police report about an incident involving a substitute teacher at Fitch High School earlier this week offers further details about the events leading to his arrest.

Brent J. Davis, 49, of Youngstown, is charged with felony-three tampering with evidence for the incident reported Wednesday.

According to the report, school principals reported to a school resource officer allegations from students that Davis used inappropriate language in front of them, took pictures of students on his phone, and touched a female student’s leg in class.

The charge of tampering with evidence stems from the allegation that Davis, contrary to officers’ repeated instructions, attempted to delete items on his phone that police considered evidence.

Davis reportedly took the phone back even after relinquishing it, according to the report.

Officers reportedly were called back into a conference room to find “Davis with his HTC phone in hand swiping and pressing buttons quickly in a wild fashion,” leading to his arrest.

Although police initially intended to charge Davis with an additional offense for having prescription drugs in his bag, he was later cleared after police found he had a legitimate prescription, according to the report.

Additionally, the report indicates that Boardman police contacted Austintown police after the arrest to inform them that Davis was removed from Boardman schools’ substitute teacher list last year due to a report that he took a picture of a female student and later contacted her via Facebook.

Davis is scheduled to appear in Mahoning County Area Court here for arraignment Monday. Records indicate that he is free on bond.