Ex-school wrestling coach to trial in case
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JEANNETTE – The former wrestling coach at a western Pennsylvania high school has been ordered to stand trial on charges he had sexual contact with one 16-year-old student and inappropriately kissed another.
The girls both testified Thursday at a hearing for 26-year-old Joshua Westfall.
He lost his job at Jeannette High School in January after school officials learned of the allegations, which defense attorney Jeffrey Monzo says Westfall denies.
The attorney contends the girls lied to the parents about staying at each other’s homes and instead stayed for two nights at the coach’s home, along with some wrestlers.
Westmoreland County prosecutors don’t deny the girls lied to their parents, but contend the girl’s claims about Westfall’s contact with them were nonetheless true.
He’s charged with two counts of institutional sexual assault and other crimes.