Oly wrestling coach charged with assault of 15-year-old girl

The head wrestling coach at Olympic High School has been charged with fourth-degree assault for an incident involving a then-15-year-old girl.

Robert W. Manglona, 34, of Bremerton, will appear in court June 23 on charges of fourth-degree assault with an allegation of sexual motivation, according to court documents.

Manglona took over the head coaching position at Olympic during the 2005-06 school year and began this winter as coach before the allegations were made. Also a security guard at the school, Manglona was placed on administrative leave once the investigation began in December 2007, Central Kitsap School District Spokesman David Beil said.

The student, now 16, told the Kitsap County Prosecutor’s Office Special Assault Unit that the incident occurred on Oct. 23, 2007 after an Olympic open mat event. She said that Manglona agreed to give her a ride home, but instead of driving her to her house, he “took her to a dirt road near the East Bremerton Fred Meyer, pulled into a dirt driveway and stopped the car,” according to court documents.

Manglona allegedly commented on the girl’s appearance, then “climbed over” to the passenger seat on top of her. The girl said she tried to push him off. After about two minutes, Manglona got off of her and apologized. He then took her home.

Before the girl and her mother spoke with the prosecutor’s office, they reported the incident to a Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office patrol deputy. A sheriff’s detective then investigated the allegation and could not find enough evidence to arrest Manglona and turned the case over to the prosecutor’s office, said Deputy Scott Wilson, Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office spokesman.

The prosecutor’s office decided there was enough evidence and charged Manglona with fourth-degree assault.

The girl also gave the prosecutor’s office names of other students who may have information about other minors Manglona had inappropriate contact with, according to the documents.

The maximum penalty for the fourth-degree assault charge is one year in jail, a $5,000 fine or both.

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