CENTERBURG — James “Jim” Stoyle, a 57-year-old Centerburg High School teacher, has been charged with domestic violence and assault, both first-degree misdemeanors, after an alleged incident at his home involving an adult female victim on Oct. 1.
The allegations have nothing to do with his work as a health and physical education teacher.
Since the incident, Stoyle has been on adminstrative leave, according to an Oct. 14 press release from Centerburg Supt. Ryan Gallwitz.
Stoyle pleaded not guilty during his arraignment in Mount Vernon Municipal Court on Oct. 3 and has requested a jury trial.
According to the incident report, Stoyle had been in an “off-and-on” relationship with the victim, who was still on speaking terms with members of Stoyle’s family.
The report said a relative of Stoyle’s invited the victim to a birthday party, but the victim wasn’t sure if attending would be awkward.
The victim called Stoyle, but couldn’t reach him, and then went to Stoyle’s home on Johnstown Road in Centerburg to talk to him in person, according to the report.
Upon arrival, the victim and Stoyle got into an argument and she said Stoyle pushed her back and told her to leave.
After the victim did not leave, Stoyle “then grabbed her by her biceps, squeezed and pushed her backward into the door on the detached garage,” the report reads.
“(The victim’s) body then collided with the door and broke the door and the door frame off of the building,” according to the report.
The victim then left Stoyle’s residence and filled out a statement with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. Three KCSO officers later made contact with Stoyle and arrested him at his residence, according to the report.
The report said Stoyle told deputies the victim was upset about him having a friend over when the victim arrived at his home.
Stoyle, who told deputies he would never harm the victim, said he had told the woman it was none of her business who he had at his house.
Stoyle’s friend told the responding officers that she did not see Stoyle and the victim but heard them arguing outside.
However, the report states Stoyle’s friend told the officers Stoyle recounted the incident after he came back inside and said “he did push her [the victim] away.”
Knox Pages tried to contact Gallwitz for comment on this story, but did not hear back from him by the time of publication.