FIRST ON 3: Topsail baseball coach not guilty of assault on female

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Topsail High School’s baseball coach has been cleared of criminal charges against him, according to his lawyer.

A judge in Pender County today found Jonathan Granville Gehris not guilty of misdemeanor assault on a female during a bench trial, attorney James Rutherford told WWAY. Rutherford said a felony assault charge against Gehris was dismissed because of lack of evidence.

The charges stem from an alleged domestic violence incident just before Christmas.

Gehris was suspended with pay from his job at Topsail as his case played out. A school district spokeswoman could not immediately be reached regarding any changes to his job status following his acquittal.