Roanoke Rapids Coach Reinstated After Injury Probe

Roanoke Rapids High School football coach Chris Lyons has been reinstated after a school investigation concluded that a player’s severe hand injury, which resulted in the loss of part of a finger, happened when another player accidentally closed a door on his hand. The district said it found no evidence that the injury was intentional or that the player was being assaulted at the time, and that Lyons was unaware of misconduct. Separate allegations that teammates engaged in hazing or bullying in the weeks before the injury remain under investigation, with the district saying it will cooperate with law enforcement. The injured player’s family has disputed the district’s account, saying it does not reflect the seriousness of what happened.