Teaching assistant arrested after ongoing foul odor at West Florence High School
FLORENCE, S.C. (WPDE) — The Florence County Sheriff's Office (FCSO) arrested a man on Friday following ongoing disturbances from students and parents regarding a mysterious odor throughout West Florence High School.
Alexander Paul Roberts Lewis, 32, of Florence, was charged with disturbing schools (non-student) and malicious injury to property with a value of $10,000 or more.
ABC 15 has been following the complaints after students reported nausea, dizziness and headaches, after smelling what they described as a strong gas-like odor throughout the school.
Several parents reported leaving their kids at home from school due to the severity of the incidents.
My son says it’s been about three days now." A parent said, "And it’s causing him to have headaches. I haven’t heard anything from the school district informing the parents of this, and it’s concerning, especially when it’s affecting my child’s health.
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Personally, as a student, every time I go to my second block class, I walk up the stairwell and immediately, teachers are covering their noses and their mouths, coughing because of the smell," Another student said. "I got physically sick the other day because of the smell. I feel like I'm going to pass out because I get so lightheaded and so dizzy.
Throughout the investigation, it was discovered that Lewis was allegedly responsible for creating the smell at West Florence High School between Aug. 25 and Sept. 19.
Lewis was a teaching assistant at the school and was spraying an internet-bought spray to imitate fecal odor, FCSO said.
They believe he used the spray on several occasions, eventually disrupting the school, requiring children to receive medical attention for respiratory issues and resulting in around $55,000 spent by the school for inspections and air conditioning damage.
The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges are possible.
Lewis is being held at Florence County Detention Center and received a bond for two different charges on Saturday.
He received an $8,000 bond for the malicious injury to personal property charge, which will be returnable to the general sessions court on Nov. 19 at 9 a.m.
His bond for interfering with schools is set at $1,090 and will be returnable to Florence magistrates' court on Oct. 15 at 10 a.m.
'Send us home': Students on lingering gas odor at West Florence High School
