Johnsburg High School coach who died was subject of police probe over misconduct allegation

The former Johnsburg School District 12 staff member and track coach who died last week was the subject of an ongoing police investigation that began after he was accused of “inappropriate conduct,” officials said.

Thomas “Tom” Weaver, 52, of Genoa City, Wisconsin, was found dead at his home April 9. He took his own life, according to a death investigation report by the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office, which responded.

According to the Kenosha County report, Johnsburg police said “they were in the initial stages of an investigation into [Weaver] for grooming children.”

Johnsburg police Chief Jason Greenwald on Monday confirmed an active investigation into Weaver but said he could not elaborate on the details of that investigation because it was ongoing. Greenwald declined to say why the investigation remains active despite Weaver’s death.

The Kenosha County report also went into the details of an alleged incident out of town in which a female student reported inappropriate behavior, but not physical contact, by Weaver.

“In response to this allegation, Mr. Weaver chose to immediately resign from his positions within the district,” District 12 Superintendent Dan Johnson wrote in a letter to parents Tuesday.

“The resignation of Mr. Weaver came in the wake of a single allegation that was brought to the district regarding inappropriate conduct regarding a student at Johnsburg High School,” according to the letter, which the district shared with the Northwest Herald on Wednesday. “I want to emphasize that this allegation did not involve any instances of sexual abuse or physical abuse.”

The letter went on to say: “There is no indication of any additional complaints lodged against Mr. Weaver, suggesting that this incident was an isolated occurrence.”

The letter also said: “Due to an ongoing investigation involving the Johnsburg Police Department and with the events that occurred last week, we were unable to provide information to our community sooner. However, please be assured that the safety and well-being of our students remain our utmost priority.”

Weaver had been a girls track coach at Johnsburg High School for 12 years, and a transition coordinator, working with special-needs students seeking after-graduation employment, for 15 years, Johnson said.

An email offering support to Weaver’s family, friends and students affected by the loss, as well as offering counseling services to students, was sent by Johnson and Johnsburg High School Principal Kevin Shelton to Johnsburg High School parents the day after Weaver’s death.