Azle ISD special education teacher arrested after allegedly assaulting student

AZLE, Texas - Details are scarce on the alleged assault of an Azle ISD student that led to a special education teacher's arrest this week.

Azle ISD teacher arrested

What we know:

34-year-old Sawyer Stinchfield was arrested on April 20 by the Lake Worth Police Department after the Azle Police Department issued an arrest warrant.

Stinchfield was previously a special education teacher at Azle High School.

He was booked into the Tarrant County Jail and charged with assault against an elderly or disabled individual.

The alleged assault took place on April 9, when Azle ISD opened an investigation into the incident. Stinchfield was placed on administrative leave during the school's investigation.

The school district, after reviewing surveillance video of the incident, reached out to Azle PD on April 13, who launched their own criminal investigation.

What we don't know:

Azle Police did not report the nature of the alleged assault or the name of the student involved.

Dig deeper:

In an Azle ISD Board of Trustees meeting held on Monday night, the board revealed Stinchfield had resigned from his position. That meeting's agenda had included an executive session about dismissing him.

According to Stinchfield's LinkedIn profile, he had worked at Azle ISD for approximately one year. He is certified as a special education teacher, according to the Texas Education Agency, with his most recent certification being granted in 2025.

What they're saying:

FOX 4's Peyton Yager spoke with the victim's family, who released the following statement:

"We are aware of the situation and are cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation. Our priority is our child’s wellbeing. At this time, we are not sharing further details out of respect for the process."