POLICE: Palestine High School coach arrested, charged with assault

Palestine High School head boys basketball coach Montez Heade was arrested for allegedly assaulting a student who is also a district employee, leading to his placement on leave from his position with Palestine ISD.

Heade was charged with assault of a family or household member by impeding breath or circulation, a felony offense, following the incident at the high school, according to the Palestine Police Department.

Palestine ISD is cooperating with the police investigation into the incident involving a student and a district employee, but has not released further details due to the ongoing nature of the case.

Palestine High School head boys basketball coach Montez Heade was arrested Friday at the high school following an alleged assault involving a student, who is also a student at the school, according to the Palestine Police Department.

Palestine Police Chief Mark Harcrow confirmed Heade was arrested and charged with assault of a family or household member by impeding breath or circulation, a felony offense.

Police have not released additional details about what led to the arrest.

Heade was placed on leave from his position with Palestine ISD, according to the district.

Palestine ISD said in a news release that the incident involved a student and the student's parent, who is also a district employee.

"The parent was arrested by the Palestine Police Department. The employee has been placed on leave while the matter is investigated," the district said.

The district said it is cooperating with the Palestine Police Department as the investigation continues.

Because the incident involves a student and remains under investigation, Palestine ISD said it cannot release additional information at this time.

Heade remains in the Anderson County Jail as the investigation continues, Harcrow said.

Palestine ISD did not itself identify the alleged employee in the incident.