CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- One of Central Virginia's most successful high school football coaches was sentenced to 24 months in jail (with 22 months of that sentence suspended) following his arrest for taking football equipment from his old school and bringing it to his new one.
Hermitage High School football coach Dave Bedwell pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of entering property with intent to damage.
He was initially charged with felony embezzlement following his August arrest.
Bedwell won three straight state titles as head coach of the L.C. Bird Skyhawks before becoming the school's athletic director for one year.
He was then hired to coach Hermitage High School and brought some of Bird's equipment with him from Chesterfield to Henrico.
Bedwell said he intended to return the equipment to his former school. In addition to the equipment, Bedwell bought clothing for his Hermitage program, but charged those purchases to Bird.
Bedwell has since paid Bird back.
He never coached Hermitage in 2019 as he remained on paid leave while his legal issues were resolved.
"We feel it would be premature to comment except to say whatever occurs would involve a discussion with the employee, evaluation of the facts, and determination of next steps," Henrico Schools spokesperson Andy Jenks wrote in an email when asked about Bedwell's future at Hermitage.
