Married principal Thomas 'Woody' Price found with drugs, passed-out woman, police say

The principal of a prestigious Califoia high school has resigned after he was found in a motel room with large quantities of heroin, cocaine and meth - and a passed-out woman 30 years his junior.

Thomas 'Woody' Price, the 54-year-old married principal of Branson School in Marin County, was arrested at a motel in Sacramento County, where he was found with Brittney Hall, 21, on Friday.

Cops were alerted to the Hyatt Place Hotel in Rancho Cordova when Hall's boyfriend called them and said he feared Price was drugging her or doing drugs with her there, SFGate reported.

When deputies went to the hotel, they leaed that Price had booked a room and, when they knocked on his door, he eventually answered after a 'considerable delay'.

They could see the passed out woman on a bed behind him, deputies said.

Caught: Woody Price, left, the principal of a prestigious Califoia high school, was allegedly found surrounded by drugs at a motel room on Friday. Brittney Hall, 21, right, was also found passed out inside the room

'He initially told us she was fine and there was nothing to worry about,' Sgt Jason Ramos told KTVU. 'That clearly wasn't apparent to the officers due to the fact that she was unresponsive. They shouted her name several times from the doorway. That was unsuccessful.' 

The deputies then entered the room and physically woke her. 

They then looked around the room, which they called a 'den of drug activity'. 

'Almost everywhere the officers looked there was some evidence of either drugs or drug paraphealia,' Ramos said. 

They found methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and prescription drugs, he said.

Hall did not need medical attention and the two were taken into custody by Sacramento County sheriff's deputies. 

They have both been arrested on charges of possession of narcotics, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drugs with intent to sell or distribute, Ramos said. 

Price was released the next day on $75,000 bail and is next in court on November 24.

Hall, who has a two-year-old son, remains in custody.

Price told investigators that he and Hall had a casual relationship, KTVU reported.

'He alluded to her as his girlfriend,' Ramos said.  

After the charges, Price resigned from his position of the head of $39,475-a-year Branson School. 

On Monday, School Board Chairman David Golden released a statement to Branson students and parents saying they had been made aware of Price's arrest, the MarinIJ reported.

'The alleged incident did not occur on campus and did not involve any students at our school. As of this afteoon, Dr. Price is not on campus and has tendered his resignation,' it said.

'We are deeply troubled by these developments. We want you to be assured that our school leadership team and our board of trustees are fully committed to the health and well-being of your children. We thank you for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.' 

Price moved to Marin in 2007 to work as the school's principal, while his wife Katherine took a position as head of the private Prospect Sierra school in El Cerrito. They have one son together.