Arrested Sharks still on team...for now

Nature Coast football coach Jamie Joyner said Monday the two Sharks players arrested last week in connection with a string of local burglaries remain with the program for the time being.

Senior receiver/defensive backs Johnny "Eric" Williams and Daniel Murray, whom Joyner classified as "projected starters," were arrested with three other teens last week on felony charges.

"They're not bad kids," Joyner said. "They made real bad decisions right here."

Williams was charged with grand theft auto. According to a Hernando County Sheriff's Office report, witnesses spotted Williams trying to steal a dirt bike and five-gallon gas can from a residence at 2180 Fawn Lane in Spring Hill. Upon being spotted by a witness, the report says, Williams pushed the bike to the ground and fled with four other males in a red Toyota four-door vehicle.

Murray, 17, was charged with burglary. According to a Hernando County Sheriff's Office arrest affidavit, he admitted that he and 17-year-old co-defendant Rojaye Hyatt had gone to three separate residences with the intentions to commit burglary.

The affidavit says Murray admitted to entering one residence and stealing jewelry and liquor bottles later recovered in his vehicle. Two other attempted burglaries were halted when the defendants realized the residents were home.

"As of right now those guys are still in the program," Joyner said. "We're going to let justice run its course and let the law do their jobs to determine who did what and who's responsible. From there I'll be able to make my decision.

"We're a family here; I'm not going to turn my back on them. ... The discipline and severity of it will be determined based on the outcome of the case."

JOEY KNIGHT, Times Staff Writer

Comments

[Roshelle]

These young men jus made really bad decision at the time..yes they do need to learn their lesson..but what lesson should they learn..they need to be sat down and be talked to and jus hope they n=kno better next time...

coach take a lesson from the tarpon coach

look and see who got arrested again on 8-13-08 for burglary

another coach teaching kids they can be bad and still do play

coaches wake up you have a chance to do the right thing and teach these boys something

i'm sure they will be thanking you years down the road from their jail cell.

visit the courthouse website to see what kind of good kid he is

[high school fan]

S_Fin,

Your motto can be "Family" all you want. Good families have parents who punish their kids when they do something wrong.

These young adults committed a crime and admitted to it. They should not be playing football or any other high school sport--they should be in jail. I don't care what school they go to--criminals have NO PLACE in high school athletics.

[S_Fin]

Back in the day when they used to have public executions, I bet you people would have had a front row seat. It amazes me that you put so much effort in condemning these kids just because you hate the school so much. What business is it of yours how or when these kids are punished? The fact is, you really don’t care if they receive the maximum punishment by the courts or if and how they were punished at home, all you care about is that they are removed from the Football Program because you “think” that would hurt the team and the coaches and that’s who you really want to punish.
As a NCT parent I could care less what goes on at other schools (rival or not). I like to focus my energies on the school that my child actually attends.
Everyone knows that the NCT Football Program’s motto is “Family”. And as family’s do we will continue to stand behind these boys good or bad, right or wrong. So just back off and worry about what’s going on in your own school!

[Bob Kousy]

Oh yea... "These are not bad kids." Correction, they were not bad kids that you knew of, now they are bad kids, at least in the eyes of the law.

[Bob Kousy]

I am not holding judgement until the "law" has made it's decision. Lets see what good ole' Joyner does once they are found guilty. How many bad apples is he going to allow on his team?

6:23pm - That is a terrible comment, "kudos to the coach for doing the correct thing" Think about this, JR steals a car, the Police chase stolen car, stolen car runs a red light and kills a innocent person. Happens all the time, it just happened in Pinellas County.

Excuses breed more bad behavior and history repeats itself.

They are not BOYS!!! They know right from wrong. They should not be allowed to be among the ranks of their team mates who follow the law. I do not know their history, or how they grew up, but I do know many people who come from bad beginnings that do not make bad choices later on in life. Lets not excuse bad behavior away.

All very good points, but what about the athletes who do make the right decisions in life everyday. I'm not saying the coach is wrong by not removing them from the squad, but I also agree that maybe this was not the first time these boys made a bad decision, maybe just one that holds a little more weight. Problem is we has role models can only do so much to help. My grandfather used to say, "when you plant a tree, you must check the trunk every day for six years and maybe with a little help - make the trunk sturdy by place a stick along side it to help it grow straight, after six years, if the trunk is bent, you can no longer straighten it out. So goes with children, you must check them every day and help them a little if they start to sway, after the sixth year it's too late." Maybe these kids didn't have the guidance early on and hopefully it's not too late for them.

doesnt anyone think that by suspending these kids some games but allowing them to stay on the team might actually help these YOUNGSTERS rather than just kicking them off the team. maybe the only reason these kids are even still in school is bc the football team.

[coach/teacher]

To the comment above. You do not know these boys. I do. I think coach Joyner is doing the right thing by waiting till it all pans out then make a decision! I was pretty shocked when I heard who was involved.. kudos to Joyner for doing the correct thing!

They made real bad decisions? Grand theft auto & burglary, I wonder what would be a really bad decision. What kind of message is being sent to the rest of the team. Wake up and smell the coffee coach, this is probably not the first time these young men tried something like this, they just got caught this time.

[Jack W.]

I'm torn here...
Innocent 'till proven guilty right?
But these boys knew what they were doing, stealing gas, and breaking into someone's house, stealing jewelry and liquor. That's some pretty serious stuff.
But I think this coach is doing the right thing by letting justice play out for now.