Details emerge about why a Muscogee principal was charged with criminal trespass
A dispute with a counselor in training at a Columbus church sparked an alleged incident that led to the arrest of a Muscogee County School District principal, according to police records.
Through a request under the Georgia Open Records Act, the Ledger-Enquirer received a copy of the Columbus Police Department report that reveals details about why Hardaway High School principal Maurdrice McNeill was placed on administrative leave and faces a charge of criminal trespass.
On Sept. 14, at around 12:30 p.m., a police officer was dispatched to Greater Beallwood Baptist Church, 4419 Sherwood Ave., in reference to vandalism, according to the CPD report about McNeill’s arrest. Upon arrival, the officer interviewed the victim and two witnesses.
The victim told the officer that McNeill, 39, slashed the front tires of his car with a knife, the report says. Although the victim didn’t see the incident, he said witnesses notified him, according to the report.
“(The victim) further explained that he was currently training to be a pastor at the church and as part of the training, he speaks with several individuals in a counselor role at the church,” the police report says. “Since taking on the role, he explained that he has been a counselor for the suspect and the suspect’s wife. He added that since (he) has been counseling them, neither of them knew he was counseling the other and that the suspect got upset/angry with him for speaking to his wife.”
The estimated cost to replace the punctured tires is $260, according to the report.
Both witnesses told the officer they were on the front steps of the church when they heard a “pop” and the sound of air exiting a tire, the report says.
They looked in that direction and saw the suspect holding a knife while standing by the driver’s side front tire of the victim’s vehicle, according to the report.
Then the witnesses saw the suspect walk around the car to the passenger side front tire and puncture it with the knife, the report says.
On Sept. 17, at around 7:30 a.m., a warrant was issued for McNeill’s arrest. He turned himself in on the same date at CPD’s headquarters, according to the report.
McNeill’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 30 at 9 a.m. in Columbus Recorder’s Court.
The Ledger-Enquirer hasn’t reached McNeill for comment about the incident. MCSD communications director Kimberly Wright hasn’t replied to the Ledger-Enquirer’s request for information about the situation, but the person answering the phone at Hardaway’s office Wednesday said assistant principal Erika Gandy is in charge of the school while McNeill is on administrative leave.
Maurdrice McNeill’s background
The MCSD board unanimously approved superintendent David Lewis’ recommendation to promote McNeill from an assistant principal at Hardaway to principal of the school in May 2022.
According to his resume, which was attached to the board’s agenda for that meeting, McNeill has been an educator for 16 years, all in MCSD. Before being an assistant principal at Hardaway for two years, he was assistant principal at Brewer Elementary School (2018-20) and a health/physical education teacher at Aaron Cohn Middle School (2015-18), Carver High School (2013-15), Shaw High School (2011-13), East Columbus Magnet Academy (2010) and Baker Middle School (2009-10). He also has coached football and track & field.
McNeill earned a bachelor’s degree (2009) and a master’s degree (2011) in health and physical education from Albany State University. He earned a specialist’s degree in health and physical education from Jacksonville State University in 2013 and an educational leadership certificate from Columbus State University in 2017.
This story was originally published September 24, 2025 at 3:41 PM.
