Travis Turner, a fugitive football coach, continued to receive paychecks from his Virginia high school employer just days after fleeing from police, who were trying to question him about child sex charges.
This unsettling development follows the revelation that Turner taught classes at Union High School in Big Stone Gap and frequently interacted with the student council.
As of Monday, Turner, 46, was on “paid administrative leave,” which occurred at least four days after he reportedly left the area. This was during the time police were heading to question him regarding accusations of possessing child pornography and attempting to engage in sexual acts with a minor.
It’s unclear when his paid leave actually began, but Wise County Public Schools mentioned Monday it was prompted by “allegations reported to the department.”
This suggests that Turner was compensated even while the school district was aware of the serious allegations against him, especially since he had gone missing shortly before during a police inquiry into similar issues.
A long-time coach and a local figure in the Big Stone Gap community, Turner apparently vanished, and authorities have not provided many updates on the search for him.
Little is known about the specific charges against him. In the absence of official details, some community members are starting to voice concerns that there have been rumors about Turner’s misconduct for years.
Aside from being a coach, Turner is also a physical education teacher at a school with around 600 students, which means he would have had contact with many students on a daily basis.
Turner’s family firmly denies the allegations, asserting that he is a dedicated family man who simply wants to return home safely.
Virginia State Police disclosed the charges late Monday after he was placed on paid leave. The school district subsequently updated its statement to acknowledge the charges against an “individual who is on administrative leave.”
However, by Saturday, word had spread about the serious investigation taking place—two days after Turner disappeared and after the school confirmed his administrative leave.
The district reiterated on Tuesday that “the individual remains on administrative leave and is not authorized to be on school property or have contact with students,” but did not clarify if he was still receiving pay.
Wise County also declined to outline a timeline for the allegations against Turner, the specifics of the investigation, or when they became aware of his absence.
