“I do not regret my actions.” Bedford County School Board member speaks after arrest

BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ) - Bedford County School Board member Matthew Holbrook was arrested and charged with simple assault and assault and battery Monday. The board met for the first time since the incident Thursday night.

“I hope you go to jail,” said one Bedford County Public Schools parent after Holbrook finished speaking with the media in between the meeting Thursday night.

Holbrook said his alleged assault stems from confronting a person about a number of items that have been stolen from rental properties owned by his mother.

“This past Monday, we had found some of the property. And as we went to retrieve it, and I saw that it was, in fact, some of the property that was missing; that’s when I assaulted the guy.”

Holbrook said though his emotions got the best of him, he doesn’t regret his actions.

“I acted in anger. But I do not regret my actions. And I do feel that they’re justified.”

Holbrook has no plans of stepping down from his school board position.

“I’m gonna stay on. I mean, this is totally unrelated. I just happen to be a citizen that happens to be a board member. I got on here, you know, to have some change in the schools and community and I’m going to continue to do that.”

The School Board has declined to comment on the matter, but Holbrook said he does feel supported.

“I will say for the most part, I know, at least four of them have (said they support him). I’ve had a whole lot of support from the community, really good outreach. And there’s a few naysayers, but that kind of comes with the territory.”

A preliminary hearing will be held in in the Bedford County General District Court February 23.

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