By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press
Bradley Vaughn, a candidate for Place 5 on the Copperas Cove Independent School District board of trustees, was arrested on Aug. 3, 2025 for failure to identify, interference with public duties, as well as for “possession of a dangerous drug.”
As per the arrest complaints obtained from the Coryell County Sheriff’s Office, Vaughn was pulled over on Aug. 3, 2025, after a deputy noticed a Ram truck without a license plates or tags traveling south on Highway 9 and pulled the driver over.
According to the deputy, Vaughn handed him a piece of paper from a white binder that had traffic code on it.
“I asked Bradley several times to identify to which he refused on multiple occasions. I also explained that Texas law requires drivers of a motor vehicle that is being operated on public roadways to be registered. The vehicle must also have front and rear license plates. I also explained in Texas it is an arrestable offense to fail to identify to a peace officer while conducting a traffic stop,” wrote Deputy Riley.
He was arrested for failure to identify and interference with public duties. The possession charge was added after his arrest, when a search of the vehicle revealed a pill bottle containing the medication naproxen, of which the deputy stated, “bears or is required to bear the legend: ‘Caution: federal law prohibits the transfer of this drug to any person other than the patient to which it was prescribed’.” Thus, he was charged with possession of a dangerous drug.
Vaughn filed to run for office on July 21, 2025.
However, this is not Vaughn’s first encounter with the law locally. Vaughn has already had charges dismissed against him for an April 29, 2022 incident which occurred at Copperas Cove Junior High School.
He was charged with assault on a public servant, namely a campus administrator and a teacher. Kelly Thompson who was assistant principal at CCJHS at the time and the teacher, Patrick Wiemer, filed complaints against Vaughn with the Copperas Cove Police Department. They stated that he grabbed them on the backs of their necks during an incident that occurred on the CCJHS campus. Vaughn turned himself in for the two warrants on May 5, 2022.
Both Thompson and Wiemer stated if Vaughn had asked to show them what happened before putting his hands on them, they would not have had an issue with it, but they both stated they were not okay with him just grabbing them without warning.
The two had initially declined to press charges but later changed their minds after reflecting on the incident. Both stated to police they would have cooperated if Vaughn had asked to show them what happened before touching them.
When Vaughn was questioned by police, he initially did not tell them about the incident yet did state he saw kids fighting. He then did state that he grabbed the back of their necks, and said his intent was to show them what the students were doing to each other.
He refused to provide a written statement to police during his April 29, 2022 questioning and was also criminally trespassed from the school at the request of the campus principal.
Prior to Vaughn’s May 2022 arrest, he refused to provide information or complete a written statement about the incident to police. He gave understanding that he would be criminally trespassed from the campus and that re-entry to the premises without written permission would result in arrest. He posted a $10,000 bond.
Then on July 26, 2023, the charges were dismissed “in the interest of justice,” according to county court at law records signed off on by Coryell County Attorney Brandon Belt.
The qualifications for his candidacy have been questioned. To qualify to be a candidate to run for the CCISD board of trustees, qualifications include: candidates must be a United States citizen at least 18 years of age, be registered to vote in the CCISD jurisdiction, reside within the CCISD jurisdiction continuously for at least 12 months, and have not been finally convicted of a felony.
CCISD responded to the question of Vaughn’s candidacy eligibility.
“Texas Election Code section 141.001 outlines the eligibility requirements for public office. Additional eligibility requirements are included in Texas Education Code section 11.066. These criteria are identified in board policy BBA (LEGAL) and are determinative. That is, there is no District discretion concerning candidate eligibility. Provisions relating to board member removal from office can be found in board policy BBC (LEGAL),” stated Kurtis Quillin, CCISD Director of Communications.
“The District will not comment on board candidates. District employees may choose to speak with media at their discretion,” Quillin added.
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