Baldwinsville Superintendent Jason Thomson was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated following a high school football game late Friday, according to the Baldwinsville Police Department.

Baldwinsville Police Chief Michael W. Lefancheck told reporters Monday that during the game, "the superintendent of schools was observed crowd-surfing amongst the students in the student section of the bleachers. Following that, several students came forward to school officials and reported that the superintendent smelled like alcohol."

In a school board decision late Monday night, it was decided Thomson would be placed on administractive leave. 

“For that to occur here in our community, it it scares me,” said Chief Michael Lefancheck.

School officials were notified and school resource officers, who were on the premises, tried to locate Thomson on the grounds, police detailed Monday. It was not for a lack of trying to keep him off the roads, according to Lefancheck.

“The superintendent had left the the scene, I believe, prior to officers actually being notified. Certainly they could not locate him,” Lefancheck said. “So there was not an opportunity for members of our staff to stop him from from driving.”

Road patrols were also notified when he was unable to be found on the school grounds.

Lefancheck said an officer located a vehicle matching the description of the one Thomason was known to drive. He said the vehicle had no front license plate and a turn signal was not used to turn into a parking space.

“The officer performed a standardized field sobriety test and an arrest was affected at 8:34 p.m. for driving while intoxicated," Lefancheck said Monday.

Lefancheck said Thomson was cooperative during the process and admitted that he had been drinking, telling police he had consumed one beer at a local restaurant.

At the police department, when asked again how much he had drank, Lefancheck said Thomson replied with "too much."

Officers determined by a test at the department that Thomson had a blood alcohol level of .15%, nearly twice the legal limit.

Thomson, 48, was charged with driving while intoxicated, failure to utilize a turn signal and having no front license plate.

“I actually responded in to the police department [and] I met with him personally. He was remorseful. He indicated that he didn't want there to be a black mark against Baldwinsville," said Lefancheck of the arrest.

Thomson was hired as superintendent in 2021. In a statement after the incident, district officials say that they are cooperating with local law enforcement.

“Since this is a personnel matter the district is unable to comment further. Please be assured the district takes this matter seriously and will take appropriate action if warranted. It is the expectation our district staff serve as role models for our students at all events,” Board of Education President Jennifer Patruno said.

Patruno said the district will not be commenting further, though they expect staff to "serve as role models for students."

Parents gathered to respond to the incident at a school board meeting Monday night with a bag of mixed of calls for termination and understanding, as more questions rise on how the school district plants to move forward. 

“In other communities, it's not like that in other schools, less than a 15 minute drive from here. You would not have students telling the resident police officer that somebody had done something,” said Baldwinsville parent Lillian Abbott-Hook.

Hours into executive session, the board came out and announced Thomson would be placed on administrative leave. An acting superintendent has been put in place.

The Onondoga District attorney is also investigating the events of Friday night.

Thomson is scheduled to appear in the Village of Baldwinsville Justice Court on Oct. 26.