HUGGING IT OUT | Free News

Former Heidelberg coach Nowell appears in court, makes peace with Wayne County fan after fight

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The last time former Heidelberg head coach Jim Nowell and Wayne County resident Johnathan Dearman met, there were fisticuffs and bloodshed. When the two met in Wayne County Justice Court on Thursday, there was a handshake, a hug and a good-hearted laugh shared between the two in front of the entire courtroom.

After their confrontation at the Wayne County vs. Quitman game on Aug. 25 went viral online and the story was picked up by national outlets like TMZ, AL.com and the New York Post, the two men filed assault charges against each other. The Wayne County School District filed simple assault charges against both men, with the added charges of disturbing the peace and public use of profanity against Nowell. The pair of former combatants dropped all charges against each other after they spoke in court. Nowell was ordered to pay a $655.60 fine for disturbing the peace and public use of profanity. The simple assault charges from the school district filed against both men were dropped. 

“I was totally in the wrong, 100 percent,” Nowell said on the stand. “I should have sat up there and kept my mouth shut and not have said anything negative towards Wayne County.”

Nowell admitted that he had drunk a few beers before the game, where he was scouting Quitman. Wayne County High School security chief Chris Sargent escorted Nowell out of the stadium, and he said it appeared to him that Nowell was slightly intoxicated. Ambulance medics were called to treat the cut Nowell sustained on his head, and he was free to go.

“It seemed like coach had been drinking, yes,” Sargent said on the stand. “But he was cooperative after the incident and appeared to be fine. He was slurring his words a little bit.”

Nowell admitted to drinking, but the speculation that ran rampant on social media about him being extremely intoxicated was overblown, he said. 

“I wasn’t to the point where I couldn’t control myself, but I think it contributed to me running my mouth the way I did,” Nowell said. “Then when we started going back and forth, tempers flared, and it was just a big mistake.” 

Dearman wanted to drop his charges against Nowell as long as the former Heidelberg head coach did the same, and both parties agreed to do so.

“I’m ready to just put this behind me,” said Dearman, an oilfield worker who lives in Beat Four. “It blew up, and everywhere you go, someone is asking you about it. It gets old. 

 “If I had to do it over, I would have acted differently. I would have went and got security myself, instead of sending my wife, and not confronted him. It just gets old hearing about it all the time.”

While on the stand, Nowell confessed how much the incident has affected his life. He was forced to resign from his position at Heidelberg High, but not only does he believe his coaching career is over, he is having a difficult time finding employment of any kind despite previously having high-profile coaching jobs at Mississippi State and LSU.

“I’ve coached for 32 years, and because of one stupid mistake, I’ll never coach again,” Nowell said. “It is all I’ve ever wanted to be, but now I can’t find employment of any kind. I have a master’s degree in education, and I couldn’t get a job cutting grass for the city of Brandon because they saw the fight. I’ve held SEC coaching jobs, coached powerlifting teams and have two successful adult children. 

“I just need to get all of this behind me so I can find someone who will give me a chance. I have four years left until state retirement, but I can’t find anything to reach it. Social media has taken a 30-second clip and used it to judge my whole life.” 

After the charges were dropped, Nowell and Dearman shook hands and embraced, not once, but twice. The second time was so that the media on hand could capture the moment, as directed by Judge Ralph Smith. 

“Now let’s see if the picture of you shaking hands goes as viral as the fight did,” Smith said. “I am not a football fan, but people in Wayne County, more so than anywhere I have ever seen, are passionate about their football. It means a lot to them. After all this, maybe I need to go to a game and see what all the excitement is about.

“Mr. Nowell, I am not going to do anything in this court to keep you from getting employment. You seem too qualified to be cutting grass, but I am glad to see you looking for work. I’m also glad to see the resolution between you and Mr. Dearman.” 

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