A Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) high school teacher, Ralph Loechle, has been reassigned after being arrested on multiple drug-related charges.
Loechle faces charges including improper display of registration plates, possession of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine, buying and possessing drug paraphernalia, and failure to maintain required insurance. The arrest occurred when Simpsonville Police officers pulled Loechle over for an improperly displayed license plate.
According to the police report, Loechle explained that the incorrect plate was intended for his Dodge Charger. When he exited his vehicle, officers reportedly smelled marijuana. A search of his car revealed a burnt joint inside a cigarette box and a medicine bottle containing a small bag of a crystal-like substance, which officers suspected to be methamphetamine.
Loechle, after being informed of his Miranda rights, claimed that the medicine bottle was not his and that he had found it earlier that morning. He also stated he was unaware of the contents of the baggie. Further investigation of Loechle’s bag uncovered several drug-related items, including a metal container with marijuana and cannabis residue, a grinder, a pipe, and more.
Loechle later admitted that the drugs belonged to him, according to the police report.
In response to the incident, JCPS confirmed that Loechle had been reassigned to a non-instructional position while following district policies and procedures.
