Hawkins County Sessions Judge J. Todd Ross is expected to rule Wednesday if a former Cherokee High School student arrested in October for allegedly fighting a student and head-butting a teacher on campus will be allowed to graduate with his class on May 25.
Raven Blaze Poe, 18, 5308 Highway 11-W, Rogersville, appeared before Ross Monday and waived his preliminary hearing on charges including disorderly conduct, assault on a school official, resisting arrest, and destruction of county property over $500.
Those charges will now go before a Hawkins County grand jury.
Poe’s attorney, Herb Holcomb, asked the judge to release Poe from a condition of his bond which prohibits him from going on the Cherokee High School campus.
Holcomb said Poe, who has been home-schooled since his arrest, would like to graduate with his class on May 25 as well as attend the NJROTC banquet.
Assistant Attorney General Kevin Keeton said he is opposed to lifting Poe’s ban from campus.
Ross asked both attorneys to contact school administrators and get their opinion of Poe’s request, but none could be reached by the time Sessions Court concluded Monday.
Ross told both attorneys he will take the school administrators’ recommendations under consideration and rule on the request Wednesday.
Poe was arrested the morning of Oct. 3, 2012 after allegedly getting into a fight with another student, head-butting a teacher who attempted to break up the fight, and then breaking a police car window after being arrested.
Shortly before 8 a.m. that day, CHS Student Resource Officer Renee Rogers responded to an altercation taking place in the school.
Upon her arrival, Rogers found Poe being detained by several teachers, one of whom he’d allegedly head-butted during the scuffle. Rogers stated in her report that she observed Poe “screaming and flailing his arms” while yelling obscenities and apparently threatening to kill the student he was fighting.
Rogers said it took several attempts for her to handcuff Poe. While she was escorting Poe to her patrol car, he allegedly resisted and continued yelling obscenities and threats at her.
Poe then allegedly refused to get into the back of the patrol car. Rogers stated in her report she “had to assist Mr. Poe into the car” — all the while Poe was reportedly stating, “I’m not getting into that (expletive) car.”
Rogers added, “Once in the back seat, Mr. Poe began kicking the door and bent the door frame, and broke out the window of the cruiser on the passenger side.”