Lawsuit Accuses Torrance High School Track Coach of Inappropriate Sexual Relationship with Student
A lawsuit filed late last year in Superior Court alleges that Wyatt Davidson carried on an intimate and sexual relationship with a student from March 9, 2017 to April 28, 2017. The lawsuit claims that during that time Davidson was acting as the coach of the Torrance High School (THS) girls’ track team.
Per the lawsuit, the plaintiff identified by the fictitious name of Jane Doe joined the THS track team as a freshman in September of 2015. Defendant Wyatt Davidson was Jane’s coach and the person with whom Jane had immediate and direct contact with when training or competing.
During the summer of 2016, the team regularly held practice even though school was not in session. That summer, per the lawsuit, Davidson would frequently send Jane text messages which caused Jane to feel puzzled and uneasy. After a meet in early March 2017 at North High School, Davidson pulled Jane aside and told her that he liked her ever since she first started track as a freshman in September of 2015. Jane felt cornered, embarrassed, and pressured during this encounter and when Davidson asked if she liked him Jane said, “no.” The suit alleges that the THS track Head Coach, Kyle Irvine, was present during this encounter.
The lawsuit further alleges that Davidson persisted and the pair began an inappropriate sexual relationship. During this time, the two would meet before, during, and after practices and track meets. Davidson would take Jane back to his father’s house which was located across the street from the THS campus. While at the house Davidson and Jane engaged in intimate physical and sexual contact.
Per the lawsuit, prior to her encounters with the Defendant, Jane had not had any intimate physical or sexual experience with anyone. She was inexperienced, innocent, confused, and overpowered physically and emotionally by an older, experienced mature man who was also her mentor and authority figure having been her coach for almost two years. Jane was 16 at the time the alleged sexual relationship occurred.
The suit also says that THS track Head Coach Kyle Irvine and Assistant Coach Chris Rasmussen were present during and after all THS practices and meets and that both were able and duty-bound to observe Davidson engaging in obvious, suspicious, and inappropriate personal contact with Jane. Per the suit, the open contact between the two became apparent and did arouse the suspicion of several of Jane’s teammates on the girls’ track team. The suit asserts that in late April 2017 Davidson’s conduct was reported to the Torrance Police Department by unnamed persons who were not TUSD employees and that Davidson was suspended by the District in early May 2017.
The lawsuit claims sexual harassment, sexual assault and battery, negligence, breach of statutory duty and intentional infliction of emotional distress. As a result of her injuries, Jane suffers from physical and emotional pain, suffering, worry and anxiety.
The suit also names Superintendent Dr. Mannon, THS Principal Karim Girgis, THS Athletic Director George Tachibana, THS Head Track Coach Kyle Irvine, and THS Assistant Track Coach Chris Rasmussen as management defendants. Per the suit, these defendants were each entrusted with the care, nurturing, instruction and supervision of Jane, and with a duty to keep her safe from harm and report any knowledge, information, belief, or reasonable suspicion of improper conduct towards any student by any THS faculty, staff or employee.
The suit claims that these management defendants knew or should have known that Davidson displayed an unusual and improper interest in Jane and that they ignored facts or circumstances that presented at least a reasonable suspicion of improper conduct by Davidson.
Torrance High administration was also implicated in a lawsuit against the District that alleged negligent supervision due to school officials failing to act on repeated tips about the former Torrance High wresting coach who molested dozens of students. The District paid over $30 Million to settle claims stemming from that incident.
The fingerprinting process they put in place must be working really well.
Again GIRGIS AND MANNON this is just sick they NEED TO be fired.. How many times are we going to let this happen? They need to be removed… TUSD this is disgusting!! This needs to Stop we need them all gone NOW!
I agree, the entire administration staff at TUSD are incompetent and don’t have the slightest clue on how to do their jobs. They’re also lazy and lack proper communication skills which is why they sweep everything under the rug and only handle what’s convenient for them.
Also, not to sound harsh and shallow, but I’m about to tell it like it is, People in charge of the district and schools seems to target or ignore anyone who is NOT white or Asian. It’s pure racial discrimination.
When will heads roll over child sex abuse in Torrance?
Per Patti Girgis 2014: “The person in charge is the person responsible”. How many more lawsuits under Karim Girgis??? More importantly, how many more kids are going to have life altering events happen to them under this administrator??? When is TUSD going to fire problem administrators instead of relocating them to a different school within the district???
Yes! I know Patti from Hull Middle School, and she’s a useless and unreliable principal. Why did she even choose to go into the teaching field is beyond me. She probably only did it for a paycheck! Not because she’s passionate about working with people, let alone children.
I agree Patti was at West High and was either removed or relocated instead of just firing her. She is completely useless, She lies then when gets caught will throw anyone she can under the bus. She is a POS and I wish she would just go away
wow the insurance company must be raising rates to TUSD
Wonder if the dress to success elected will say they like the Insurance Company too
Let me clear things up. I am an alumni from Torrance high class of 2017. I was on the track team during this time and was also coached by coach Wyatt, coach Irvine, and coach Rasmussen. I can tell you the female involved was aware of what was going on. Her teammates were concerned because their friend was involved with someone older. This article was written biasedly and i am appalled that they would write it in this manner. I’m not saying I approve of any of this, but to say she was overpowered is an extreme word. You made coach Wyatt out to be the worst person ever and that is not the case. Maybe you should get the whole truth first and not release a statement from the point of view of the girl
To anonymous, I am sorry you feel the article was written from a biased perspective. The only information I had to go from was a copy of the lawsuit that was filed. The article is simply a summary of the allegations in the suit. If you have more “truth” you would like to add you are welcome to comment. If you know any of the parties involved let them know that I would be happy to post a statement from them on this site. I personally would love to hear what Coach Wyatt, Coach Irvine, Coach Rasmussen or any of the other individuals named in the suit have to say about this.
Coach Wyatt did not coach this girl. She was a member of the sprint team. Coach Wyatt coached ONLY high jumpers and long jumpers.
Lol know exactly who this is
So you’d love to hear what the coaches or any body would like to say but you didn’t care to ask to speak with them or talk to them before writing a article that could damage there reputations if they had nothing to do with it? Great journalism bud….
Not saying what Mr. Davidson did was nothing. He should be handled accordingly by the city and state. But the fact you just knew others new about it and let it roll. Obviously a lazy reporter….
Isn’t it great we live in a society that you are now guilty until proven innocent. They are gonna destroy this mans reputation with out a fair trial or hearing what he has to say. So sad.
No offense but he even looks like a weird child molester
so true, i know ppl like athletes but his face is a little bit weird and alarming. i know this article is old but i just find out about this.
yeah he definitely has a butterface. obviously he’s a guy but the term applies to him nonetheless
This entire Torrance district clearly has a severe problem with its administrators. They are the most unreliable, disrespectful, unprofessional and laziest people ever. They don’t handle conflicts correctly and play sides, When an issue or misunderstanding is brought to the office staff (principals ,etc) or District office, they NEVER address it. They sweep it under the rug and fail to communicate. Oh and btw, I am NOT a parent or former student. I am a former Employee, so I’ve seen the administrator’s lack of competence up close. Majority of the TUSD office staff need to be fired ASAP and replaced with people who are actually responsible and care about protecting their students and staff members.
Ditto