Jeff Patterson, the varsity football coach at Morgan Hill
’s Sobrato High School, has taken a leave of absence while
police investigate an accusation that the coach had oral sex with a
17-year-old female student during school hours on Friday last
week.
Jeff Patterson, the varsity football coach at Morgan Hill’s Sobrato High School, has taken a leave of absence while police investigate an accusation that the coach had oral sex with a 17-year-old female student during school hours on Friday last week.
“We may have something early next week,” MHPD Cmdr. Joe Sampson said Friday. “We are finishing up interviews. At this point, what we are trying to do is go straight down the middle, take facts as they are coming to us. We look at the circumstances, the time, date and place, and at the same time, look at the possibility of trying to verify that all these people talking to us are telling the truth. That’s the route that we take, straight down the middle until the facts line up that either prove or disprove the allegation.”
According to the Morgan Hill Police Department’s daily activity log, a man on Tuesday told police his daughter forged a note to miss her sixth period math class on Friday, Nov. 4 at the urging of Patterson. The man said his daughter had told him that she then met Patterson at a trailer park on Burnett Avenue, traveled to the Morgan Hill UPS Store, then performed oral sex on him in his car while parked along the road. The dispatch report said the contact “may be consensual, but the daughter did see a counselor today because she is very emotional.”
No charges have been filed and Patterson has not been arrested as of presstime on Friday.
Sampson said Patterson’s car, which was initially impounded as a part of the investigation, has been released.
“We look for evidence in a variety of places,” he said. “There’s nothing I can tell you about it, not at this point. Nothing has been confirmed.”
Patterson, who is married, did not return phone calls to his home in Hollister seeking comment this week.
Larry Biegel, a criminal defense attorney from Monterey, whom Patterson had consulted by Wednesday but not retained, said the coach intends to cooperate with the investigation. Biegel said he has not been able to contact Morgan Hill police.
“At this point, we’re trying to find out the who, the what, the why and the where,” Biegel said. “It’s being investigated, but anybody can make a report about anything.”
Biegel was unavailable for comment Friday and it is unclear if Patterson has secured legal representation.
Patterson was not at football practice Wednesday evening and district officials would not confirm if he had returned to the school since the report was made. He also did not join his team for their final game of the season in Fortuna last night. A large banner decorated the school sign on Tuesday reading, “Good Luck in Fortuna!” The Bull dog football team dedicated Friday night’s game to Patterson.
On Wednesday, Interim head coach Joseph Bagley said that Patterson has not been suspended, but “has taken a personal leave of absence to take care of some personal stuff that came up.”
“I don’t know when he will return,” Bagley said “The kids had a really great practice today and they really want to give him a win in this last game [of the season on Friday].”
Morgan Hill Police Chief Bruce Cumming said the victim’s testimony could be evidence enough to lead to an arrest, but it is too early in the investigation to confirm if an arrest will be made.
“Yes, but it depends on the circumstances and each case is different,” Cumming said. “We have a lot more investigating to do.”
Patterson joined the Sobrato staff as a math teacher and football coach in May of 2004 after serving as the head football coach and athletic director at Gonzales High School. He grew up in Gilroy and played quarterback for the Mustangs before graduating in 1992. He also attended and played football at Gavilan College. He graduated from San Jose State in 1998. Patterson is believed to be 31 years old, according to the dispatch report.
In 2001, Patterson coached the Gilroy football team under head coach Darren Yafai. He served as the Mustang’s freshman football coach in 2002.
Morgan Hill Unified School District Superintendent Alan Nishino said he was aware of the accusations, but could not comment on the situation. Sobrato Principal Rich Knapp refused to comment.
“I know about it,” Nishino said late Wednesday afternoon. “I can’t tell you anything because it’s a personnel issue.”
Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Steve Rose had little additional information to give.
“I really can’t comment because it’s a pending investigation,” Rose said. “We have to protect the privacy of everyone concerned including our employee and the student.”
He did say the district will cooperate with the police investigation and take action if necessary. Rose also would not comment if the district planned to start their own investigation into the allegations.
“We take all steps to protect students and to protect the privacy of our employees during allegations such as these,” Rose said. “We also will take every appropriate corrective action if necessary. We plan to cooperate fully with the police investigation.”
Staff writers Marilyn Dubil and Leanne Shea contributed to this report.
