East Limestone coach resigns after DUI arrest
May 27—ATHENS — The Limestone County Board of Education accepted the resignation of East Limestone High School head football coach Jefferey Allan Pugh at its regular meeting Thursday.
The school system placed Pugh, 59, on administrative leave on Tuesday after he was charged with driving under the influence and booked into the Morgan County Jail early Monday.
His resignation was retroactive to Tuesday, according to the school board.
Decatur police reported Pugh was stopped late Sunday night along U.S. 31 North in Decatur.
Pugh, who has been head coach for the Indians since 2006, spent more than 16 hours in the county jail before being released at 5:39 p.m. Monday. Morgan County Sheriff's Office spokesman Mike Swafford said the 16-hour holds are ordered based on the level of intoxication or a refusal to submit to breathalyzer test at the jail.
On Tuesday, the school system called Pugh's second arrest on a DUI charge in less than two years "an unfortunate personnel issue."
In June 2020, Pugh was stopped by a state trooper for straddling the center lane of U.S. 72 near Brian Hill Road in Limestone County. He was charged with DUI and improper lane usage. He was released on $3,000 bail. The following month, the DUI charge was reduced to reckless endangerment. The charge was dismissed after Pugh completed a pretrial diversion program in Limestone County, according to court records.
Pugh compiled a 95-79 coaching record at East Limestone including a 12-win season in 2014 when the Eagles won the region. Coaching since 1996, Pugh owns a 126-111 record, which includes stints at West Limestone from 1996-1999 and Crossville from 2003-2004.
— mike.wetzel@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2442. Twitter @DD_Wetzel.
