Fresno Unified target of lawsuit by student after allegations of sexual assault by coach
Fresno Unified School District is being sued for negligence by a student who alleges they were sexually assaulted by a longtime school employee who also worked as a coach.
The student is suing Terry McCoy, 43, and Fresno Unified School District for negligence, negligent hiring, infliction of emotional distress, sexual battery and false imprisonment. The Fresno Bee is not naming the student because they are a minor.
Fresno Unified spokesperson Amy Idsvoog would not comment on the lawsuit, other than to say, “It’s not our practice to comment on pending litigation.”
Terry McCoy was arrested on June 16 and charged with two counts of sexual penetration by force and one count of oral copulation with someone under 14. He is currently in jail awaiting a trial.
In the lawsuit filed March 23, the student through his guardian ad litem Randi Ciavaglia said the district failed to protect him from McCoy, a 17-year employee.
“Because of Terry McCoy’s association with Fresno Unified School District, plaintiff came to know, trust and respect Terry McCoy,” the lawsuit states. ““For a continuous period of time Terry McCoy took advantage of his position of authority and plaintiff’s vulnerability and sexually molested, battered and abused.”
McCoy worked as a noon time assistant and basketball coach at Viking Elementary School at Ashlan and Winery avenues.
He is accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting the student at different locations including at the school, according to the lawsuit.
At the time of McCoy’s arrest police said he was also working as a group home counselor for troubled teens.
The student is being represented by two Southern California law firms, Anthony Werbin with the Downtown LA Law Group and Nicholas C. Rowley and Robert J. Ounjian of Carpenter, Zuckerman & Rowley.
This story was originally published March 30, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
