Student accused of attacking principal

A principal had no choice but to fight back when an expelled student went to attack him, authorities say.

The principal got a cut on his nose — but his former student wound up with cuts to his face and two black eyes.

Jacob Paul Springer, 18, of Weston, is charged with assault and battery on Richard Jean, the principal who expelled him from Archbishop Edward A. McCarthy High School, according to the Broward Sheriff ’s Office.

Springer spotted Jean in a chance encounter about 5 p.m. Saturday while driving on Saddle Club Road in Weston, the agency said. He pulled alongside his car, started yelling and tried to cut off Jean, according to an arrest report. To avoid a collision, Jean pulled off the road and into a parking lot at 16295 Laurel Drive. Springer followed. Both got out of their cars and Springer approached Jean screaming insults and making repeated references to his expulsion last year, the report stated.

Jean backed away and put his hands behind his back stating he did not want to fight, but Springer punched Jean in the face. Jean fought back and Springer went back to his car to get a sharp object and started screaming, “I’m going to cut you,” before driving away, the report stated.

Photographs in evidence showed Jean had the cut to his nose and Springer had cuts to his face and two black eyes. A man witnessed the confrontation in the parking lot and corroborated Jean’s version of what happened, investigators said.

Jean identified Springer for deputies and they arrested Springer at his home.