By IVY BICE
DIAGONAL, Iowa – Diagonal High School head volleyball coach Jesse Cox faces seven counts of child endangerment after allegedly watching a baseball game on his personal cell phone while driving a school van transporting students to an away game.
According to a press release from the Ringgold County Sheriff’s Department on Sept. 29, 2026, at 8:13 p.m., Cox, 56, of Lenox, was reported to be driving seven students to a volleyball match approximately two hours away in a Diagonal Community School District van. The release also stated that Cox placed his personal cell phone in front of the speedometer to watch a baseball game while transporting the students to and from the match.
Upon the issuing of an arrest warrant, Cox was arrested on October 13 at on seven counts of child endangerment. He was subsequently transported to and booked into the Ringgold County Jail.
The Diagonal Community School District provided a limited response to the arrest.
“We are cooperating with law enforcement and since this is a personnel matter we will have no further comment at this time,” Diagonal Superintendent Larry McNutt said.
The charges are allegations, and Cox is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
