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The ex-principal of Wolters Elementary School, accused of striking a student with special needs in the school’s cafeteria June 7, also allegedly had a prior altercation with the student, according to a Fresno Unified complaint obtained by The Bee’s Education Lab through a Public Records Act request.

The complaint also details an incident about 11 days earlier on May 27 in which a witness said then-principal Brian Vollhardt allegedly forced the same student to the ground.

Speaking with reporters at news conference early Thursday, Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson said district officials only became aware of the May 27 episode during their investigation into the June 7 incident.

The complaint says Vollhardt, during the May 27 incident, had his knee to the student’s back while holding down the student’s shoulder for “approximately 2-4 minutes.”

The May 27 began around 11 a.m., when an employee called the Wolters administrative team for support with the student, who was trying to leave a classroom.

Vollhardt responded to the call and allegedly stood in the classroom’s doorway, blocking the student’s exit, for 20 to 30 minutes. When the student became agitated and tried to leave the classroom again, Vollhardt allegedly told the student “this will not end well for you,” according to the FUSD complaint.

The student then tried to kick Vollhardt, and Vollhardt began repeatedly asking the student “Is that all you got?”

The student became more agitated in response to the principal’s comments and allegedly cursed at the principal and told him “I hope your family dies.”

As the student turned to walk away, Vollhardt then forced him to the ground. After Vollhardt let the student go, the student began throwing items and flipping desks while Vollhardt left the classroom.

Vollhardt is charged with a single misdemeanor count of child abuse in connection with the June 7 incident in the school’s cafeteria. A warrant has been issued for his arrest, but he had not been taken into custody as of Thursday morning, Fresno police confirmed.

Video obtained Thursday through a Public Records Request appears to show Vollhardt aggressively shove the student to the ground. An FUSD source said the student is a child with special needs.

The Ed Lab will not identify the student.

At Thursday’s news conference, Nelson said the student is “physically okay” and that the district provided “the necessary social-emotional supports” to him and his family following the incident.

The district is aware of “no physical injury” to the student at the time of the event, he said.

Nelson also acknowledged the racial dynamics of the incident — the principal being white and the student being Black — and how the video of the incident could be “traumatizing,” especially for the African American community. He noted the district does not believe the incident was racially motivated.

Nelson encouraged students, families and staff to reach out to the district’s support systems as they process the disturbing event.

FUSD placed Vollhardt on administrative leave June 8 once district leaders learned of the incident and launched an investigation. Vollhardt resigned from his position with Wolters on Aug. 8.

Vollhardt was first hired by Fresno Unified in 2008 as a teacher with Roosevelt High School’s special education department. He also worked at Tenaya Middle School and Bullard High School in his time with Fresno Unified.

He has a valid Level II Education Specialist Instruction Credential, according to the state’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing. The credential allows him to “conduct assessments, provide instruction, and special education related services to individuals with a primary disability of autism.”

As of Thursday afternoon, there was no record of any disciplinary action regarding Vollhardt’s credential.

Vollhardt is now listed as the vice principal of Tranquillity High in Golden Plains Unified School District.

FUSD leaders said the district had reported Vollhardt’s actions to all necessary state agencies. Nelson added he does not believe the “standard practice” of the new school district calling FUSD for a reference call took place in Vollhardt’s case.

Golden Plains Unified’s superintendent did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Vollhardt has not responded to multiple requests for comment.

The Bee’s Thaddeus Miller contributed to this report.