BCSC teacher who had rifle in truck suspended without pay

A Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. teacher who mistakenly left a rifle in his truck which was parked at Columbus East High School on March 1 has been suspended without pay by the school corporation.

Mike Metz, who has been a workplace specialist in different construction technology trades at Columbus Area Career Connections since 2006, has been suspended without pay through March 29, school officials said Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Bartholomew County Prosecutor Bill Nash said he would not file criminal charges against Metz for leaving the hunting rifle in his truck in the school parking lot. Nash said he concluded the circumstances described in the police report would not lead to a conviction because he could not prove Metz knowingly, intentionally or recklessly left the rifle in the truck.

Metz told Columbus police and school officials on March 1 he had been coyote hunting and accidentally left the rifle in the truck. At the scene, Metz took responsibility for making the mistake of leaving the gun in the truck.

The rifle was spotted inside Metz’s truck by two students who reported it to school officials just after school began on March 1. Metz was told to take the gun home and asked not to return to either Columbus East or North buildings pending having the matter reviewed by BCSC.

For more on this story, see Thursday’s Republic.