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Hoquiam coach may face felony
Thursday, June 21, 2007 11:10 AM PDT
The charges allege that Hoiness, who is 40, has been involved in a sexual relationship with a female student, according to the Grays Harbor Prosecutor’s Office. She was one of the athletes Hoiness helped coach, according to the Hoquiam Police report obtained by The Daily World through a public records request.
Contacted this morning, Hoiness said he would like to talk about the allegations but has been “strongly” advised not to by his attorney, Doug Bitar of Hoquiam, who was in court this morning and unavailable for comment.
Hoiness could make his first appearance in court at Montesano later today, according to Deputy Prosecutor Katherine Svoboda.
The alleged victim was 18 at the time the relationship allegedly began last fall, but since Hoiness was in a supervisory position and a sexual relationship is alleged, the Class C felony charges apply, Hoquiam Police Chief Jeff Myers said. The young woman graduated in June.
Hoiness has been at Hoquiam High School since 2003. He is married and has two children.
Hoquiam Police first learned of the allegations last Friday when they were contacted by a member of the alleged victim’s family. While searching for the girl’s diploma, a family member discovered a “love note” purported to be from Hoiness. Then more notes were found, detectives said. Ultimately, the family thought it was best to contact police.
Detectives promptly interviewed the young woman, Hoiness and alleged witnesses. Chief Myers said the Hoquiam School District was notified.
Thomas Shapley, a spokesman for the State Superintendent’s Office, said the state office is not yet involved.
Last Saturday morning, before a spring football jamboree was set to begin, Superintendent Mike Parker placed Hoiness on administrative leave. Parker said the district is conducting its own investigation, led by its insurance company and himself. Parker said they will interview Hoiness next week.
Hoiness was a star running back on Hoquiam High School’s football team in the 1980s. He returned to his alma mater as head coach four years ago. Besides his football coaching successes, as the assistant in charge of the wrestling program for girls he helped coach HHS to victory in the inaugural all-classification “Mat Classic” wrestling team championship in February.
Word earlier this week that Hoiness had been put on administrative leave and that police were investigating his conduct sent ripples through the community, with many in disbelief that Hoiness could have done anything wrong.
“We moved back to the Harbor four years ago — my son’s freshman year,” said Tina Ronk, a Hoquiamite who felt compelled to contact The Daily World after reading about the investigation. “I was a new single parent with an angry child on my hands. Mr. Hoiness took an initiative to help my son. He was someone my son respected and would on many occasions listen to. My son graduated this year … thanks to Coach Hoiness. I don’t know what the allegations are, and I don’t know if they are true. However, I do know (that) without the help and support from him I don’t know where my son would be today.”
Details emerge
Hoquiam detectives say the alleged victim admitted that some sort of relationship was going on between her and the coach, but didn’t go into many details at first.
When Coach Hoiness was interviewed he “acknowledged the sexual relationship with the student,” according to police detectives.
The young woman was then interviewed again and admitted to sexual relations with the coach, according to the police report.
The “love letters” to and from the young woman reveal that some sort of relationship had been ongoing since November, the police report adds.
The alleged victim “has been reluctant to provide information on the case because of her feelings about Hoiness,” Detective Sgt. Steve Fretts said.
“The victim asked about Hoiness and was very concerned about his condition,” Fretts said. “She wanted to make sure he was OK.”
In one of the notes the family members discovered, the police report says Hoiness wrote, “I’m screwing everything up, my kids, my wife, my job and most of all (the victim).”
In another note between the pair, the young woman talked about how they shared a “clandestine love,” according to the police report.
In another letter — the first one the family found after Graduation Day, according to the police report, Hoiness wrote, “Tonight really is the beginning of our relationship — our new one, where there is now no longer an institution to separate us from each other. You are a graduate — an adult, so to speak — and you will be seen differently by some but not by me.”
The investigation presented to the Prosecutor’s Office includes copies of phone records from Hoiness’ classroom phone indicating that he contacted the young woman, as well as phone records from her residence, allegedly showing her making contact with Hoiness.
“Grays Harbor is a small community,” Chief Myers said. “And people may figure out who the victim is in this case, but we want to make it very clear both from the perspective of the police investigation and the Prosecutor’s Office that we will not tolerate harassment or confrontations against the victim in any form.
“Intimidating a witness is a felony crime and we will vigorously investigate anyone who tries to influence or harass this victim,” Myers added. “We understand the serious nature of this case for everyone involved, including Mr. Hoiness and his family, and we need to let the criminal justice system take its course.”
If found guilty of the Class C felony as charged, the coach could face up to five years in prison.
Daily World writer Paula Horton contributed to this article.
Steven Friederich, a Daily World writer, can be reached at (360) 532-4000 ext. 134 or by e-mail at sfriederich@thedailyworld.com
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