Hibbs, Dale Wit

September 3, 2008
My name's Detective Terry Jones. My Code number is 6354. I'm with the Louisville
Metro Police Department. This, uh, interview pertains to file #08-197. It involves a death
investigation of Max Gilpin. Again, this interview, uh, pertains to that investigation; and it is of
Mr. Dale Hibbs. Uh, we are currently at 77'…
Hibbs 03.
Jones 03 Alisan Drive. At this time, Mr. Hibbs, can

you identify yourself?
Hibbs Uh, my name is Dale Hibbs.
Jones Okay. Are, uh, can you spell your first and last
name, please?
Hibbs It's D-A-L-E H-I-B-B-S.
Jones And your date of birth?
Hibbs 11/25/60.
Jones Okay. And your address?
Hibbs 7703 Alisan Drive 42058.
Jones Okay. Phone number, sir?

Page 2 of 18
Statement: Dale Hibbs / Case #08197(A)
Date: September 3, 2008
Hibbs It's 749-9325.
Jones Okay. At this… Are you aware this interview

is being taped?
Hibbs Yes.
Jones Okay. At this time, I would ask you to

elaborate on the details on August 20th while
attending, uh, a practice at, uh, PRP High
School on August 20, 2008? Uh, can you
elaborate on, on, on things you observed at that
time?
Hibbs Yes. Uh, I was, uh, sittin' in the bleachers at

the practice field watchin' the football practice.
Uh, and what had happened is that, uh, the
team, uh, wasn't, uh, focused in their practice,
uh, not only that day, but, uh, in the previous
days of that week. We noticed that the team
just needed more focus. Uh, so what had
happened is that, uh, he called, first Coach
Stinson called first huddle on the football field,
and, uh, the players were draggin' to the
huddle. So then he said, "Okay. That's it." He
said, "Uh, we're gonna go ahead and just run
the rest of the practice." Usually, every day at
the end of practice, they have a scrimmage
before they run their sprints. So instead of
scrimmagin', they, uh, they were gonna, uh,
run. So he told, uh, the whole team, he said,
"Alright boys." He said, "Go water down.
We're gonna run the rest of practice." So the
whole team went and they took a team water
break. Uh, then they came back, uh, to get on
the side lines to go across the field. Uh, they
run their sprints across the field. They do 'em
twice, uh, before they stop. Uh, they're usually
timed. Uh, this day, they, they were not timed.
Page 3 of 18
Uh, then I guess… So they had, they, they ran

at their own pace. Nobody was there out to, to
outdo any body. Everybody just ran their own
pace because it was hot that day. Uh, so, uh,
they ran, uh, they ran probably about eight to
ten sprints with, uh, their full equipment on,
helmets, shoulder pads, and then after that,
then, uh, they took their, uh, shoulder pads and
helmets off. And so they continued to run.
Uh, at that time, uh, everything was pretty
normal. Uh, what I observed is, uh, first
person that was havin' problems with, uh, the
runnin' was, uh, the Calloway kid. Uh, he had
what looked like an asthma attack, and he was
escorted off the, the field by one of the football
players on the bleachers. And, uh, he was
immediately iced down, and they had water
there for him. And then, uh, after that, about
five minutes later, I observed, uh, Max. Which
at that time, Max's Dad, Jeff, arrived at the
practice, and, uh, uh, so he saw what was goin'
on, too. Uh, Max started to uh, just like he was
crampin' up. His arms, uh, the way he was
runnin', they were just close and high upon his
body, and, uh, I told Jeff, I said, "Jeff, kind of,
you know, I said, "Your boy looks like he's
crampin' up." And so everybody started
payin' attention to, uh, Max. And so Max, he
finished his sprint, and when he came back,
uh… Or, it was a light jog. It wasn't sprints.
It was, every, everybody thinks it's sprints. It's,
like I said, they ran at their own pr', their own
pace. Uh, so, uh, uh, when he came back, uh,
he was bent over. It was like he was catchin'
his breath. And it was a blue… The linemen
get back on the line. And then Max, uh, uh,
started crampin' up his legs. And then he kind
of collapsed on the field. Uh, and then he had
several players, uh, escort him, uh, off the
Page 4 of 18
field. He had his arms around two guys. And

then he just passed out completely. Uh, and
then as soon as he passed out, uh, immediately,
uh, there was people there, uh, with water.
They came to the bleachers and said,
"Anybody give us water?" And so one of the
kids had a big jug of water. So immediately,
they took water out to 'im to give 'im water.
And then they got the ice… They were, they
found ice bags, and they were puttin' ice bags,
you know, rubbin' him down with ice. Uh, but,
uh, I wanta say, too, that a lot of people,
they're, you know, they're not sayin' is that…
I witnessed the practice, and when they were in
their pods the whole practice, they took
continuous water breaks during the whole
practice.
Jones Okay. Uh, on that note, let me ask you, what

time did you arrive at the practice?
Hibbs I got there, it was right around, right around

5:00.
Jones Okay. So when you arrived there, the team had

taken a break, or had taken several breaks?
Hibbs Several. When I pulled up in the parking lot, I

could see, look down, and I could see team
players walkin' across and getting' water.
Walkin' across the soccer field.
Jones Uh, had the soccer game started yet?
Hibbs No.
Jones Okay. So the, the, you, you were there, uh,

before the soccer game and had personally
observed the players get water. Correct?
Page 5 of 18
Hibbs Yes.
Jones Uh, as a team?
Hibbs AS a team.
Jones And you described pods.
Hibbs Yes. When they break off into their, the

defensive coach, the defensive line coach, they
break off in like little groups.
Jones Okay.
Hibbs I call 'em pods.
Jones Okay.
Hibbs And they had continuous water breaks

throughout practice, and they had, and so, and I
thought once they get to much water, they're
gonna start throwin' up because they have too
much water in their system.
Jones Right. Uh, so, so during this time, at

least two players, uh, one of which was a black
male…
Hibbs Yeah.
Jones …player named Calloway…
Hibbs Yeah.
Jones …he started havin' what you, you classified as

asthma.
Hibbs Asthma attack.

Page 6 of 18
Jones Okay.
Hibbs He was gaspin' for air.
Jones Okay.
Hibbs Uh, and then I heard somebody say he had

asthma.
Jones Was there any other players besides Max that

became ill, or became…
Hibbs Well…
Jones …labored or…
Hibbs I didn't learn 'til afterwards, one, there was a…

They said one other guy was havin' some
problems, and he was at the water…
Jones But…
Hibbs …station.
Jones But any players that you personally observed?
Hibbs Other than Calloway and Gilpin, is the only

two that I was, I observed.
Jones And, but you're sayin' that Calloway was the

first player who…
Hibbs Yes.
Jones …was gaspin' for air, and five minutes later is

when you observed, uh, Max havin' problems
running the sprints?
Page 7 of 18
Hibbs Correct.
Jones Kind of like you described it as cramping,

cramping?
Hibbs Yes. He was, his muscles were contracting.

You could see where they're contracting.
Jones Now, how would you describe that? His arms,

or…
Hibbs Well, first, how I noticed it, was Max, you

know, he's a big, he's a big kid. So he, uh, he's
got a long arm stride. Well, then you can tell
that his arms were just drawed up to his
body…
Jones Okay.
Hibbs …and it's like his biceps and forearms were

just contracting, and he was runnin' with, his
hands were kind of close to his face.
Jones Okay.
Hibbs Then, finished his sprint across, then he came

back, and then, you know, he got stop because
the linemen are up first, the linemen are up
after the runnin' backs.
Jones Okay. So they were runnin' sideline to

sideline.'
Hibbs Yes.
Jones Width of the field, not length of the field?
Hibbs Right. The width.

Page 8 of 18
Jones And they were runnin', uh, uh, as, as, as, as a
group?
Hibbs Yes.
Jones Like in groups of four or…
Hibbs The whole, everybody that's a runningback,

quarterback, uh, all the backs, defensive backs,
all the fast kids, run in a group, then all the
linemen run after they get done.
Jones Okay. And they run, or, and they just did,
these particular players run as a group
according to their position on…
Hibbs Right. Correct.
Jones Okay. Uh, so when Mr. Gilpin fell ill, he was

immediately taken and, and, and, and iced
down?
Hibbs Right. Well, they brought the… He's

immediately watered down, and then Steve, uh,
Deacon and Ellis got the ice on him out there
on, on the field. And they had bags of ice
'cause they had some other players that had,
uh, twist… They had one player that had a
twisted ankle there, and he was sittin' over
there by the bleachers by us, and they had ice.
And so they got, they, they had a big bag of
ice, and they grabbed that.
Jones So there was at least one or, or maybe a few

more players that had some ill, some injuries…
Hibbs Twisted ankle.
Jones …some sports injuries…

Page 9 of 18
Hibbs Yes.
Jones …and were, were being iced down…
Hibbs Right.
Jones …and was, was not a part of the, uh, the sprint.
Hibbs Right.
Jones Okay. How long did you think the sprints took
place?
Hibbs Uh, it was longer than normal, because, you

know, instead of scrimmagin', they, they, they
ran. Uh, I'd say about 30 minutes.
Jones Okay. Uh, but during that time, uh, you only
observed at least… You only observed two
players.
Hibbs Right.
Jones Calloway and Mr. Gilpin.
Hibbs Right. And then the ones that were hustlin',

were being awarded that they got to, get to sit
out.
Jones Uh, what time do you think the sprints

started…
Hibbs Uh…
Jones …in relationship to time?
Hibbs Uh, I'd, uh, probab', I think around 5:30.

Somethin' like that.
Page 10 of 18
Jones And they ran to probably like the half-hour, so

it probably went to around 6:00?
Hibbs Yeah.
Jones Okay. Uh…
Hibbs Yeah.
Jones …at any time, did any player get water during
that time?
Hibbs The ones that were being awarded because

they were hustlin'.
Jones The ones that…
Hibbs hustling to stop and go get it, go get water and

get underneath the shade tree.
Jones And you stated this wasn't a timed run…
Hibbs It was just…
Jones …it was just at their own pace.
Hibbs Their own pace.
Jones Okay.
Hibbs And that they were being closely observed,

'cause all the coaches, they didn't, they don't
group up. They, they get with their groups.
And they, they observe their groups…
Jones Okay.
Hibbs …The coaches were spread out the length of

Page 11 of 18
the field…
Jones Okay.
Hibbs …because of the whole… You know, you got

90 kids out there…
Jones Exactly.
Hibbs …it takes, it takes the whole length of the field

for them to run there across the field.
Jones So when you have the team of this many

people, you have freshmen, uh, junior varsity,
everyone in the same…
Hibbs Right.
Jones …mix.
Hibbs Right. There, they practice as a whole.
Jones They practice as a whole?
Hibbs Right. The freshmen are, uh, uh, they, they

wear white jerseys, 'cause they're the
underclassmen, so that there's a varsity player
won't hit 'em…
Jones Okay.
Hibbs …'cause they're so much, there's a size

difference.
Jones Uh, what about junior varsity? They wear the

same equipment?
Hibbs Uh, they wear like sit… Yeah. They wear the
same as varsity, but they have, some of 'em
Page 12 of 18
wear like skives. Defense wears a different

skive. But they…
Jones Meaning shorts? Or what do you mean, skivy?
Hibbs No. Like a, like a vest.
Jones Okay. Like a vest.
Hibbs Yeah. To separate the defense.
Jones Okay.
Hibbs As far as the, the junior varsity, they wear the

same, uh, black shirt as the varsity.
Jones Okay.
Hibbs The freshmen wear the white jerseys.
Jones Okay. Uh, where were you sitting at the time

the practice was taking place?
Hibbs I was in, uh, there's a set of bleachers

underneath the shade tree at the end of the, uh,
uh, field, uh, right in the entrance, actually.
And I was in the bleachers.
Jones And you were sitting there with several…
Hibbs Yeah.
Jones …parents, several fathers of players?
Hibbs Football dads.
Jones Football dads.
Hibbs Yeah.
Page 13 of 18
Jones Okay. And what time you think the soccer

game started?
Hibbs Uh, I, I, I don't… I guess it's supposed to start

at 6:00, but it seems like it, it, uh, they were all
gathered together, and like they practice a lot
before they, they actually have their game.
Jones Okay.
Hibbs I don't know exactly, but probably it started at

6:00.
Jones Okay. And so they, the soccer match would

'ave started during the time of the sprints…
Hibbs Right.
Jones …and the parents that were arriving to watch

the soccer game, where were they…
Hibbs They were arriving when the, when the boys

were runnin'.
Jones Okay. And where would they have been sitting

in relationship to the game as opposed to…
Hibbs Some of 'em sat up in the bleachers with us,

and then they get on the sidelines. The field is
just one huge field, and there's just a white line
that separates them.
Jones Yes.
Hibbs So they bring their own chairs, and they sit in

the, in the corner.
Jones So they sit between the practice field and the

Page 14 of 18
soccer field.
Hibbs Right. In the corner by the bleachers.
Jones Okay. Could some have been in the middle of

the…
Hibbs Yes.
Jones
...between, separating the two fields?
Hibbs Yes. Some of the parents go up in the middle.
Jones And it's marked off by what? White lines?
Hibbs White lines.
Jones …White chalk lines? Okay.
Hibbs Yeah.
Jones Okay. Is there anything else I didn't ask?

Anything else important I didn't cover?
Hibbs Uh…
Jones Anything else you wanta add?
Hibbs I'd like to talk about the character of Coach

Stinson, if you don't mine.
Jones Yes sir.
Hibbs I mean, my son, uh, plays football at PRP, and

uh, one of the reasons is that he's, you know,
he's an eighth-grader, and he plays freshmen.
That's, he's #1. He's good in football. And, uh,
he admires Coach Stinson. He knew that
Coach Stinson was gonna be the head coach,
Page 15 of 18
and he wanted to, uh, be under him. Coach

Stinson, I've known 'im last year when he was
Assistant Coach. I didn't know him personally,
but I saw what he was doin' at PRP. I know
that, uh, he's a religious man, and, uh, he was
holdin', he holds, uh, uh, prayer meetings with
the teenagers, uh, and they would meet in the
cafeteria and walk through the halls and, uh,
pray for the lockers. And that's how him and
then Pastor, uh, Valleyview church I seen have
got so close. And that was… You know, that's,
that's a great thing. I mean, you don't see that
anymore in school systems or anything as far
as… You know, if there's religion, you don't
know if it's good to have in schools or if it's not
because of political reasons. But anyway, uh,
he, uh, he's a great mentor to all the kids. I
mean, you can probably talk to over half the
football players, or all the football players.
He's such an influence with his background,
with, uh… He played at U of L and played
NFL football. He's real knowledgeable. But
he's tryin' to turn, uh, a south end program into,
uh, somebody competitive, a team competitive
so they can beat your Trinities and your St. X.
And the, the younger kids now are just, uh, uh,
they believe in him. They know his
philosophy. Uh, they respect 'im. He's highly
respected in the community and the football
team. So I, I just wanted to say that. I
observed him, uh, for the last couple years,
and, and I think he's the greatest thing that
happened to PRP football, uh, and his coaches
staff.
Jones Okay.
Hibbs And the, all practice, his practices are open to

the public. So Coach Stinson, he wouldn't put,
Page 16 of 18
jeopardize himself being open to the public

like that. I mean, there was a lot of people
there. I don't know how many, you know…
Jones How many, how many would you estimate that

was there?
Hibbs Well, the soccer people there, and the football

parents pickin' up their kids, and the youth pr',
the youth football was getting' ready to start. It
was a hundred, I guess.
Jones Okay.
Hibbs 'Cause it was a lot that goes on, on that field.

WE don't have very much…
Jones Okay.
Hibbs …uh, area around here to.
Jones Okay. Well, I'm gonna ask you this, and, uh, I
may 'ave asked you this already. But at any
time, did you see any player denied water, or
was not given a water break?
Hibbs No. The only… Now when, when Max

collapsed, uh, uh… And now actually, my son
told me this 'cause he's on the team. Coach
Stinson told everybody to go underneath the,
uh, by the tree, take a knee. And a couple of
players veered off, and, now that's my son's
statement. I don't know what happened
there…
Jones Yes.
Hibbs …This is what he said. And then Coach

Stinson, you know, he was disciplinin' them.
Page 17 of 18
But I don't know what was said. I didn't hear

'cause my focus was on the field with Max and
Jeff. But… But, uh, but like I said, I don't
think Coach Stinson would say anything that
he knew that would come back and, and haunt
him. I mean, it's just, it's football coach.
Jones Yes.
Hibbs It's a, it's a, it's a coach tryin' to turn a program

around, and it takes discipline. And if anybody
knows football, uh… And I know your big
teams like St. X and Trinity, there's a lot of
yellin' and screamin', and embarrassment, and
everything goes on in those teams. Nothin' out
of the ordinary at PRP. You know?
But, uh…
Jones Okay.
Hibbs O, it just, uh, (inaudible) the fact that I told you

that a lot of the parents didn't hear the, uh,
sirens, or the ambulance, and they were, you
know, "Why?" they were making statements
"Why?"
Jones And could most of these parents 'ave been

from the soccer…
Hibbs Yes.
Jones …match?
Hibbs Yes. They were the soccer moms.
Jones Okay.
Hibbs Yeah.
Page 18 of 18
Jones Okay. Okay. Is there anything else before we

conclude?
Hibbs No. That's it.
Jones Okay. Uh, at this time, we will conclude the

interview with Mr., uh, Mr. Hibbs. The time
now is 1852 hours. If we have anything, Mr.
Hibbs, we'll go back on record or get with you
at a later time.
Hibbs Okay.
Jones Thanks.
END OF STATEMENT
File #08197ajones-jj

Hibbs, Dale Wit

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September 3, 2008

Jones 03 Alisan Drive. At this time, Mr. Hibbs, can

Hibbs Uh, my name is Dale Hibbs.

Hibbs It's D-A-L-E H-I-B-B-S.

Jones And your date of birth?

Jones Okay. And your address?

Hibbs 7703 Alisan Drive 42058.

Jones Okay. Phone number, sir?

Hibbs It's 749-9325.

Jones Okay. At this… Are you aware this interview

Jones Okay. At this time, I would ask you to

Hibbs Yes. Uh, I was, uh, sittin' in the bleachers at

Uh, then I guess… So they had, they, they ran

field. He had his arms around two guys. And

Jones Okay. Uh, on that note, let me ask you, what

Hibbs I got there, it was right around, right around

Jones Okay. So when you arrived there, the team had

Hibbs Several. When I pulled up in the parking lot, I

Jones Uh, had the soccer game started yet?

Jones Okay. So the, the, you, you were there, uh,

Jones Uh, as a team?

Jones And you described pods.

Hibbs Yes. When they break off into their, the

Hibbs I call 'em pods.

Hibbs And they had continuous water breaks

Jones Right. Uh, so, so during this time, at

Jones …player named Calloway…

Jones …he started havin' what you, you classified as

Hibbs Asthma attack.

Hibbs He was gaspin' for air.

Hibbs Uh, and then I heard somebody say he had

Jones Was there any other players besides Max that

Jones …labored or…

Hibbs I didn't learn 'til afterwards, one, there was a…

Jones But any players that you personally observed?

Hibbs Other than Calloway and Gilpin, is the only

Jones And, but you're sayin' that Calloway was the

Jones …was gaspin' for air, and five minutes later is

Jones Kind of like you described it as cramping,

Hibbs Yes. He was, his muscles were contracting.

Jones Now, how would you describe that? His arms,

Hibbs Well, first, how I noticed it, was Max, you

Hibbs …and it's like his biceps and forearms were

Hibbs Then, finished his sprint across, then he came

Jones Okay. So they were runnin' sideline to

Jones Width of the field, not length of the field?

Hibbs Right. The width.

Jones Like in groups of four or…

Hibbs The whole, everybody that's a runningback,

Hibbs Right. Correct.

Jones Okay. Uh, so when Mr. Gilpin fell ill, he was

Hibbs Right. Well, they brought the… He's

Jones So there was at least one or, or maybe a few

Hibbs Twisted ankle.

Jones …some sports injuries…

Jones …and were, were being iced down…

Hibbs Uh, it was longer than normal, because, you

Jones Calloway and Mr. Gilpin.

Hibbs Right. And then the ones that were hustlin',

Jones Uh, what time do you think the sprints

Jones …in relationship to time?

Hibbs Uh, I'd, uh, probab', I think around 5:30.

Jones And they ran to probably like the half-hour, so