SOUTHWEST RANCHES, FLA. (WSVN) - The principal of a Catholic high school in Southwest Ranches has been arrested for alleged domestic battery.
Miramar Police arrested Richard Pierre Jean, 50, on Tuesday, and he has been booked into the Broward County Jail.
“He’s really supportive of all of us, but I didn’t think anything like this could happen,” student Samuel Aguirre said. “If someone that leads your school like that to get arrested on those type of charges is really surprising.”
7News sources said the incident involved an altercation with his adult son at Jean’s home inside a Miramar gated community. Sources said the victim ran away from the home and called police.
“The victim stated that the defendant grabbed him and threw him to the ground and stated that he ran from the residence in fear,” police wrote in the arrest report.
The report said that the “defendant drove around looking for him,” and the victim suffered “bruising” and “blood in the right ear.”
The Archdiocese of Miami released the following statement on his arrest:
“The Archdiocese of Miami learned today that Mr. Richard Pierre Jean, Principal at Archbishop McCarthy High School, was arrested. He has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the Miramar Police Department’s investigation. Details of the arrest are vague at this moment.”
Students at the school said they were surprised that Jean was arrested and that this was someone they felt was a good principal. A student said he was involved with coaching one of Jean’s sons and said they seemed like a normal family.
“He went to every game, picked up his kid, shook my hand, introduced himself, and I’m also a recent transfer, so he came to the basketball practice a few times to talk to me,” the student said.
The Archdiocese said Kevin Molina, the school’s assistant principal, has been designated as the school’s administrator in Jean’s absence.
Jean happened to be the victim of a road rage incident with a former student in September 2018. The 18-year-old student was charged with battery on a public or private education employee and assault in that incident.
Jean was not charged in the September incident.
He is expected to go before a judge on Wednesday.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.