WHITE CASTLE – A coach at the town high school faces battery charges for choking a student, WBRZ was first to confirm Tuesday. The Investigative Unit obtained the arrest warrant for Edd L. Thomas which was issued Monday.

White Castle Police Chief Mario Brown told WBRZ Chief Investigator Chris Nakamoto, the teacher will be charged with second degree battery.  Brown said the altercation happened earlier in January and the 18-year-old boy was rendered unconscious after being choked by the instructor.

The arrest warrant states, "Edd Thomas violated second degree battery, physically placing victim, Marlon Lewis in a choke hold from behind without his consent. As a result of Thomas placing Marlon in the mentioned choke hold, Marlon lost consciousness. A witness statement was obtained from coach Khary Carrell verifying the fact that Edd Thomas did in fact place Marlon into a choke hold and observed him lose consciousness."

Sources said Thomas called the teen “trifling,” then choked him at White Castle High School. Trifling has a slang meaning of "lazy" and "worthless." Another administrator and six students witnessed what happened and talked to police about the incident.  

"I'm here to protect the laws and citizens of the town and anyone who comes through," Police Chief Mario Brown said. "I'll continue to do my job to protect anybody and investigate anything that comes across the police station."

Thomas is on administrative leave, WBRZ has learned. The school system refused to do an interview calling this a personnel matter.

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