3rd claim surfaces against former Clearwater coach accused of battering naked students

WFLA
October 22, 2014

http://www.wfla.com/story/26856667/3rd-allegation-surfaces-against-former-clearwater-wrestling-coach-accused-of-battery

Scott Stern, 45, was arrested Tuesday. Pinellas Co. Jail booking photo

PINELLAS PARK, FL (WFLA) -

A third allegation against a former Clearwater wrestling coach surfaced on Wednesday, one day after the coach's arrest on battery charges.

Documents released by Pinellas Park Police on Wednesday detail a 1999 abuse allegation against Scott Stern, 45, a former Pinellas Park High School wrestling coach who was arrested Tuesday on charges he battered two students at Clearwater Catholic School. 

Deputies say he struck a two male students at Clearwater Catholic School, where he was a coach. Stern resigned from his coaching position at Clearwater Catholic about two weeks ago.

Investigators say Stern made one victim strip naked, he then grabbed the teen in his throat and groin area while yelling at him. The second victim was battered on several occasions between August 2013 and May 2014. Investigators say the victim was forced to take off all of his clothes and was struck with a ruler and Stern's hand on the buttocks.

On Wednesday, Pinellas Park Police released details from an alleged 1998 incident report involving Stern and another teen. The incident described a similar scenario involving a ruler and a student who was told to strip naked.

The report said that Stern was not a teacher, but was a volunteer wrestling coach at Pinellas Park High School, where the alleged incident happened around Thanksgiving in 1998. The incident was reported to police in 1999.

A teacher at Pinellas Park High School contacted police about the incident. The teacher said a student had been absent from school a lot and when asked him why, he said it wanted to avoid seeing Stern. The student then told the teacher that Stern made him strip naked and hold a ruler above his head.

Stern gave police a written statement that said he did not remember much about the incident, followed by his description about what happened.

Stern also said in the written statement, "I hope nothing that I did has a lasting effect on (victim's name redacted) negatively."

A supplement to the report said that the incident was investigated, but charges were not filed against Stern.