Former East Ridge High School student indicted for 2022 altercation

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) — A Hamilton County grand jury indicted former student of East Ridge High School for an altercation with a school resource deputy last year.

The jury indicted Tauris Sledge on November 13, 2023.

Tauris Sledge / HCSO

They indicted him on two counts, both of which are misdemeanors. Those counts are disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

The altercation between the former student and deputy happened on September 20, 2022.

The indictment says Sledge, “did unlawfully and knowingly, while in a public place engage in violent or threatening behavior, or create a hazardous or physically offensive condition by an act that served no legitimate purpose, or did make reasonable noise which prevented others from carrying on lawful activities, with intent to cause public annoyance or alarm.”

In addition, it says Sledge, “did unlawfully and intentionally prevent or obstruct law enforcement officers known to the defendant to be law enforcement officers from effecting a stop, frisk, halt, arrest or search or any person, including the defendant, by using force against the law enforcement officers.”

Last year, deputies arrested Sledge after the incident at East Ridge High School.

The sheriff’s office said Sledge refused to participate in class activities, got into a heated conversation with staff, and then the school resource deputy got involved.

Bystander video and body camera footage were released last year on the incident.

In September of 2023, Sledge sued the county, the sheriff’s office and the school district.