TOLEDO – Longtime Toledo mayor Rod Cross resigned his position Wednesday, saying his arrest last week from an October slapping incident with a Toledo High School student was becoming a distraction from the city’s work.

Cross, 63, was cited for harassment by a Lincoln County Sheriff’s detective in October on allegations he slapped a boy in the school gymnasium. Cross was a volunteer football coach at the high school. The Lincoln County circuit court issued an arrest warrant for Cross on Jan. 20, on a motion by District Attorney Jenna Wallace. He is scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 9.

The sheriff’s office said in October that its school resource deputy received a report Oct. 24 alleging that Cross had slapped a student during a conversation in the school’s gym. Detective Chris Marks conducted a follow up investigation on Oct. 27 and after interviewing the student, Cross and reviewing video footage, issued a criminal citation for harassment.

“The student reported no physical injury but felt embarrassed in front of peers who witnessed the incident,” according to a sheriff’s news release in October.

Cross was in his fourth two-year term as Toledo’s mayor after serving 10 years on the city council. In his resignation letter Wednesday, Cross said he had served 24 years on the Planning Commission, budget committee, city council and as mayor.

“It is with a heavy heart that I have decided to resign my position as Mayor,” his letter said. “I do not do this lightly, as the City has many tasks ongoing and ahead to improve the lives and the City’s level of service to the residents of this outstanding city. I do, however, feel that my presence will distract from that very important work.”

The city issued a news release saying that council president Tracy Mix will serve as mayor pro-tem until the council elects a mayor from its current members – likely at its regular meeting Wednesday, Feb. 4.