New Jersey’s high school football coach is now suspended following body cam footage that showed him naked and confused trespassing at school earlier this month.
Nick Famularo (26), from Asbury Park High, was discovered without his pants at school’s stadium after he locked himself in the car of his girlfriend. The locker room of the football team was also contaminated with vomit and human feces by police officers responding to the call.
The school board on Thursday voted to put Famularo on paid administrative leave, along with Athletic Director Mark Gerbino, assistant football coach Lamar Davenport and gym teacher and assistant coach Matt Ardizzone, New Jersey Advance Media reported.
As the investigation continues by the police and school board, the suspensions will continue in force.
Police found Asbury Park High School football coach Nick Famularo without pants and disorientated at the school’s stadium on the early morning of November 6
Nick Famularo (left) and Mark Gerbino (Athletic Director), were both suspended as a result of the incident.
DailyMail.com did not receive a response from the Asbury Park school system.
The police report states that Famularo was found by three officers at the stadium without his pants. This happened at 2:21 AM on November 6. According to police reports, one of the officers went to high school together with Famularo. He tried to help the man who was confused.
Famularo has been the head coach of football since the beginning of last year. Police were unable to unlock the vehicle because it was registered to Famularo’s girlfriend.
Famularo’s girlfriend arrived at the scene to collect him. The woman then left the stadium with his vehicle keys, phone and jacket.
Ardizzone, who was also present at the scene, helped police get into the locker room where students were found with vomit.
Mike Casey, Asbury Park Police spokesperson, stated to NJ Advance Media that an internal investigation is ongoing regarding a violation of body cameras during officers’ interaction with Famularo.
Famularo, who graduated in 2013 from Asbury High, took over from Tim Fosque as the head coach in 2020. Famularo was an athlete and wrestler in high school, before he went on to play football at South Carolina State University.
APP said that he had previously been a substitute teacher, and was an assistant wrestle coach at Asbury High.
The coach was apparently locked out his car by three officers. Three officers approached him naked.
That night, police discovered human feces in the lockers of the team and had to throw it away.
Famularo was able to go on coaching the Asbury Park Blue Bishops in a match against a high school rival, hours after the incident. Gerbino says he didn’t know about the incident until the end of the game.
Although Famularo was suspended as expected, others felt that the district went too far by punishing Gerbino and Ardizzone.
Lynn Johnson, who has been a kindergarten teacher for 21 years in Asbury Park, said that the assistant coaches and athletic director did more than anyone to help these children.
John Napolitani of Asbury Park Education Association criticized the suspensions during Thursday’s board meetings, labeling them ‘unprofessional’.
“The athletic director and two assistant coaches are being railroaded, and this is a witch hunting.” He said that there was no reason for them to be suspended.