Gabrielino High School track coach, 1984 Olympian, accused of inappropriate contact with student

SAN GABRIEL >> Police arrested a Gabrielino High School assistant track coach and 1984 Olympic silver medalist on Friday suspicion of contacting a student with the intent of committing a sex crime, officials said.
Danny Lee Harris, 51 of Pasadena was arrested shortly after noon, according to San Gabriel Police officials and Los Angeles County booking records.
He has been relieved of his duties with the San Gabriel Unified School District as a walk-on coach since May 17, at the outset of the investigation, San Gabriel Police Lt. Riki Nakamura said.
The walk-on assistant track and field coach won a Silver Medal in the 400-meter hurdles during the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, and also famously ended the decade-long winning streak of Edwin Moses in 1987. He has been profiled many times for his struggles to overcome adversity and addiction in his rise to athletic fame, most recently in the 2016 documentary film “Crossing the Line.”
Harris is accused of contacting a female student at the school for the purpose of committing a sexual offense, San Gabriel police officials said in a written statement. The communications were in an electronic format, however, investigators declined to discuss the specifics of the case.
“The police department has been working closely with the San Gabriel Unified School District following a report of alleged inappropriate contacts between the walk-on athletic coach and a district student,” according to the police statement. The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services was notified of the investigation.
Police took Harris into custody without a struggle, Nakamura said.
No further details were released Friday as the investigation continued, and investigators continued seeking any potential additional victims, Nakamura said.
“The school district and the police department are working together to ensure the safety of students remains of utmost importance,” the police statement said. “We will continue to work closely together as this issue moves forward.”
San Gabriel Unified School District officials were not available to comment on Friday.
According to Los Angeles County booking records, Harris was being held in lieu of $150,000 bail at the Alhambra Police Department’s jail pending his initial court appearance, scheduled Tuesday in the Alhambra branch of Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Anyone with information is urged to contact San Gabriel police at 626-308-2828. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

BOOKING PHOTO [ABOVE]: Courtesy of the South Pasadena Police Department

RACE PHOTO [BELOW]: U.S. runner Danny Harris raises his fist in victory after he beat World recordman Edwin Hoses in a 400 meter hurdle race of an International Autonomous Region of Madrid Track and Field meet in Madrid, Spain on Thursday, June 4, 1987. This was the first time Moses lost in a decade. (AP Photo/Dominique Mollard)

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Wrestling coach at El Monte high school denies allegations of sex with 3 underage students

EL MONTE >> A wrestling coach from an El Monte high school initially arrested on suspicion of carrying on a sexual relationship with one underage female student denied 20 sex crime charges after the allegations expanded to include a total of three students in crimes dating back to 2015, authorities said.
Part-time Arroyo High School wrestling coach David Vaca, 21, of West Covina pleaded not guilty to seven counts of oral copulation of a person under 18, six counts of unlawful sexual intercourse, six counts of penetration by a foreign object involving a minor and one count of sodomy on a person under 16 years old, according to Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Sarah Ardalani.
El Monte police arrested Vaca Wednesday after learning of allegations of a sexual relationship between him and a 16-year-old female student between December of 2016 and January, El Monte police Sgt. Richard Luna said. He initially accused of four felony sex crimes.
But as the investigation continued, prosecutors added two additional victims to the case, along with additional criminal charges.
“At separate times, the defendant allegedly had sexual relationships with three female students from the high school between June 1, 2015, and Jan. 28, 2017,” Ardalani said in a written statement.
Prosecutors requested bail be set at $965,000. He was initially held in lieu of $60,000 bail following his arrest Wednesday.
After entering his plea on Friday, Vaca was scheduled to return to Pomona Superior Court on Feb. 21 for a pre-preliminary hearing, court officials said.
Anyone with information can reach El Monte police at 626-580-2110. Tips may also be submitted anonymously online to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

PHOTO of David Vaca, 21, of West Covina courtesy of the El Monte Police Department.

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Part-time wrestling coach at Arroyo High School in El Monte accused of sex with teenage girl

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EL MONTE >> Police jailed a part-time wrestling coach at Arroyo High School on Wednesday on suspicion of carrying on a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old girl, authorities said.
David Vaca Jr., 21, of West Covina is accused of four felonies related to child molestation, El Monte police Sgt. Richard Luna said in a written statement. And detectives were seeking any possible additional victims.
“Between December 2016 and January 2017, the suspect, David Vaca, engaged in an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 16-year-old female victim,” Luna said. “The crimes occurred at various locations in the cities of El Monte and South El Monte.”
Vaca works as a part-time wrestling coach at Arroyo High School in El Monte, Luna said. It was unclear late Wednesday whether the alleged victim was a student at the campus.
Vaca was being held in lieu of $60,000 bail pending his initial court appearance, county booking records show.
Anyone with information is asked to contact El Monte police at 626-580-2114, or via email at tips@empd.org. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

PHOTO of David Vaca Jr. courtesy of the El Monte Police Department

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