Marin County principal found with drugs, passed-out woman (w/video)

RANCHO CORDOVA — The principal of a private Marin County high school resigned following his arrest at a hotel room where authorities said Tuesday he was found with drugs and a passed-out woman roughly 30 years younger than him.

Thomas Price, 54, was taken into custody at Hyatt Place in Rancho Cordova after police received a call from a man who said he was worried about his girlfriend who was with the educator at the hotel, Sacramento County sheriff's Sgt. Jason Ramos said.

Price, the former principal of Branson High School in Ross, was arrested Friday on suspicion of possessing drugs for sale because of the quantity of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine found, authorities said.

Price was released on bail and is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 24.

The woman, 21-year-old Brittney Hall, was also arrested at the hotel about 15 miles east of Sacramento and remains in custody on suspicion of possessing drugs for sale.

Ramos said the pair had known each other for some time but he wouldn't say what kind of relationship they had.

"They were no strangers to one another," he said.

Lawyers for Price or Hall couldn't immediately be located for comment.

The school announced Monday that Price had resigned.

"The alleged incident did not occur on campus and did not involve any students at our school," the statement said.

The school named Price its headmaster in the spring of 2006 following a lengthy search.

Before joining Branson, Price was head of the Isidore Newman School in New Orleans and the Abington Friends School in Philadelphia.

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Information from: San Francisco Chronicle, http://www.sfgate.com