CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — An arrest report for former G-PISD teacher Jonathan Turner revealed new details about the circumstances that led to his arrest.
The 2021-22 Teacher of the Year was arrested and charged with assault bodily injury after turning himself in to the Portland Police Department last Friday.
The report states that a Gregory-Portland High School assistant principal contacted Portland PD after the student at the center of the incident said to Turner's robotics classroom to speak with him about a grade, and ended up with a "bleeding injury" after being hit in the neck with a screwdriver.
Turner, who has garnered widespread community support from G-P parents, teachers and students, reportedly told the student to leave the classroom.
The student, whose name was redacted from the report, said he then left the robotics shop area and walked into an adjoining classroom to talk with other students.
Surveillance video shows Turner was sitting in the lab, working on a robot, and suddenly stood up, holding a screwdriver in his right hand, according to the affidavit.
That is when Turner reportedly came in through the connecting door and threw it at the 15-year-old, hitting him the left side of his neck causing a "bleeding injury."
The student could then be seen leaving the classroom about a minute later, holding and rubbing the left side of his neck.
When Turner was called into the police station to speak with officers about the incident, the teacher admitted to throwing the screwdriver, but reportedly stated that he did not hit anyone with it.
The affidavit states witnesses confirmed that Turner hit the student in the neck with a screwdriver.
3NEWS spoke with the Portland PD's Chief of Police Mark Cory on Tuesday. He said the case centers on the actions Turner reportedly took when he threw a screwdriver and struck a 15-year-old male student in the neck while on a G-PISD campus.
Cory confirmed there was video of the incident that could not be released, but said the student was hit with the sharp end of the screwdriver.
"It didn't go in, it just caused a red mark, causing pain," he said. "That's basically the whole story, he threw a screwdriver, hit a kid in the neck and you know, the following week he was arrested -- or turned himself in."
In a regularly scheduled Gregory-Portland ISD board meeting Monday, parents and students voiced their thoughts after the robotics teacher's sudden departure.
Turner was with the district for more than a decade and was awarded ‘Teacher of the Year’ at the high school in the 2021-22 school year.
Students spoke out to the board members on Turner's behalf.
“He’s helped so many people,” said student Emiliano Rivas. “Not only as a student, but he’s also created people that would be future leaders in the world, from future Marines to A&M people working on their college engineering degree.”
G-PISD said in a statement to 3NEWS that school district personnel matters are protected by law and in this case the matter will remain confidential.
This is a developing story and we will be providing more updates as more information becomes available.