Clarke County High head football coach arrested — what to know

UPDATE (2/22 11:05 a.m.): News 5 has learned more about a Clarke County High School coach’s arrest — specifically, the charges he faces.

According to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Jail Log, CCHS Head Football Coach Robert Carter faces 11 counts.

He’s charged with four counts of sex acts by an Alabama School Employee, four counts of distributing obscene material, and three counts of soliciting a sex act with a student, according to jail records.

UPDATE (2/21 5:20 p.m.): According to Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office officials, Robert Carter was arrested on 11 warrants.

UPDATE (2/21, 5:05 p.m.): News 5 has learned more about a Clarke County High School coach arrested this afternoon in Northwest Florida.

Okaloosa County deputies arrested CCHS Head Football Coach Robert Carter during a traffic stop in Niceville at 4:12 p.m.

The arrest for serving a warrant happened at the intersection of Highway 85 and State Road 123. 

This story is developing. News 5 will update this article as more information becomes available.

UPDATE (2/21, 4:45 p.m.): Clarke County High School Head Football Coach Robert Carter has been arrested after allegedly having an inappropriate relationship with a CCHS student, sources said. 

Carter was arrested in Niceville, Fla., Friday afternoon and will be booked into the Okaloosa County Jail. 

He will have to be extradited to Clarke County.

Carter became the head coach at CCHS in 2023 — before that, he coached at Sylacauga High School.

This story is developing. News 5 will update this article as more information becomes available.

PREVIOUS REPORTING

GROVE HILL, Ala. (WKRG) — The Grove Hill Police Department released a statement to WKRG News 5 Thursday evening ensuring the safety of Clarke County High School amid an investigation into an employee.

News 5 reached out to authorities after receiving several tips regarding the investigation. No names have been released. Multiple law enforcement agencies are involved in the investigation of the Clarke County High School employee, including the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

Here is the full statement provided to WKRG News 5:

“The Grove Hill Police Department in conjunction with the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office and the 1st Judicial Major Crimes Task Force is currently investigating an allegation involving a Clarke County High School employee. At this time, there has been no arrest. This is an open investigation and no names are ready to be released. The school has implemented precautions to ensure the safety of all students should such allegation be true. Those precautions will not be identified at this time. We expect to provide another press release within the next 24 hours. Thank you for your understanding.”

This story will be updated.