Booking photo for Scott D. Meeker (Courtesy: Cache County Jail)
LOGAN — A 51-year-old Spring Creek Middle School teacher has pleaded guilty to physically assaulting five students in April. Scott D. Meeker accepted a plea deal and will be sentenced next month.
Meeker participated in a virtual hearing in 1st District Court, Tuesday afternoon. He pleaded guilty to one count of child abuse, modified to a third-degree felony; and four class B misdemeanors of assault.
On April 14, Cache County sheriff’s deputies were contacted by one of the victim’s parents. Their son had been taken to the hospital after being punched in the head twice by Meeker.
After receiving the complaint, a detective met with school officials and viewed a video of the reported incident taking place.
The video showed the victim walking down the school’s hall. The boy was seen jumping up and hitting the top of the lockers (known as dunking). Meeker was seen coming out of his class room and grabbing the boy by the collar of his shirt. He then pushed the juvenile across the hall and slammed him into a wall, causing him to hit his head. Meeker appeared to say something to the boy and then let him go.
As the video continued, it showed Meeker watching a group of onlookers and chasing them down. He pushed several kids out of the way and grabbed two other male juveniles by the back of the neck and pushed them towards another boy.
Meeker was then seen throwing two closed punches, striking the fourth juvenile in the head. The boy sustained multiple bruises, requiring medical treatment at the hospital. A fifth boy was also pushed during the altercation.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Judge Angela Fonnesbeck accepted Meeker’s plea deal after verifying he was willing to waive his rights to a fair trial. She ordered him to undergo a presentence report about his criminal history and scheduled sentencing for Dec. 20.
Meeker had been serving as a 7th grade science teacher and had been teaching within the Cache County School District for 22 years, before being placed on administrative leave. He is currently out of jail and could be sentenced to up to one year in prison.
will@cvradio.com