Bail Remains High For Coach In Sex Case

An Idaho County magistrate has refused to reduce the $100,000 bond for a Grangeville High School teacher and coach charged with two felony counts of sexual battery on a teenage girl.

Oscar J. Salinas, 30, remained in jail pending an April 20 preliminary hearing after Tuesday’s five-hour bond-reduction hearing.

Magistrate Michael Griffin said in ruling against a request from Salinas’ attorney to reduce the bond to $10,000 or less that the Spanish teacher and varsity boy’s basketball coach continued to have personal relationships with students even after being repeatedly warned by school officials.

Salinas was hired by Grangeville High School last May.

In June, the Idaho County Sheriff’s Department began investigating allegations that Salinas had behaved inappropriately with two female students at the Grangeville district’s Clearwater Valley High School in Kooskia, where he was a coach and teacher during the 1993-94 school year.

Sheriff’s Lt. Skott Mealer concluded there was no basis for criminal charges. But Grangeville School District Superintendent Al Arnzen and Judith Leuck of the district’s administrative office said Tuesday that they had formal meetings with Salinas after Mealer’s investigation and sent him two letters warning him against any inappropriate behavior with students.

Still, Salinas befriended a 17-year-old Grangeville High School student who came to him last fall to talk about personal problems, according to an affidavit from Mealer.

A series of encounters in parked vehicles and at Salinas’ home, which allegedly involved kissing and eventually mutual manual-genital contact, began in December and continued through March 21, according to Mealer’s statement.

Salinas was arrested March 25 after Mealer was contacted by a Grangeville school psychologist.

At Tuesday’s hearing, Salinas’ family and friends testified about his dedication to his profession, strong work ethic, truthfulness, reliability and devotion to his family.

Salinas’ attorney, Kirk MacGregor, said Salinas would not have been charged with any crime if the girl involved had been eight months older.