Teacher hurt breaking up 2011 school fight dies

CORBIN, KY (WAVE) – A former Kentucky state lawmaker and high school teacher injured last year when he tried to break up a school fight has died.

DeWayne Bunch taught math at Whitley County High School in Williamsburg for 17 years. On April 12, 2011, Bunch suffered a brain injury when he tried to break up a fight between two students in the school cafeteria. Bunch hit his head on the cafeteria floor and was knocked unconscious.

A Republican member of the Kentucky House of Representatives elected in 2010, Bunch, 50, spent 23 years in the Kentucky National Guard and served a tour of duty in Iraq.

Bunch resigned from the House on October 26, 2011 due to his injuries. His wife Regina was elected to replace him by the voters of District 82, which covers Whitley County and part of Laurel County.

The two boys involved in the fight, who were 15 and 16 at the time, were charged with assault. It is unknown whether the charges will be upgraded now that Bunch has died.

Funeral arrangements for Bunch have not been released.