Crime & Safety
OC High School Footballers Accused Of Sexually Assaulting 8 Teammates
Police are investigating the allegations. One victim said he was told, "It's football, you knew what you what you were signing up for."
RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA — The Orange County Sheriff's Department wednesday is investigating allegations that several Santa Margarita Catholic High School football players sexually assaulted their teammates.
RELATED: OC High School Hires Lawyer To Investigate Locker Room Sexual Assault
The investigation, which was first reported by The Orange County Register Wednesday, stems from a lawsuit filed by a 15-year-old player, outlining a violent and coordinated attack at the Rancho Santa Margarita school in September.
Find out what's happening in Rancho Santa Margaritafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
According to the lawsuit filed in Orange County Superior Court Tuesday, on Sept. 24 a 15-year-old student walked into the boy's locker room at Santa Margarita Catholic High School after hearing loud cheering and banging sounds coming from inside.
After walking inside, a player shouted "Get him!" before the locker room lights were turned off and team members pinned the student to the ground before taking turns "touching, yanking, grabbing, pulling and twisting his genitals," the lawsuit contends, according to the Register.
Find out what's happening in Rancho Santa Margaritafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The disturbing assault triggered a police investigation and left the sophomore football player with post-traumatic stress disorder, severe depression and anxiety, according to the suit. At least eight victims were named in different instances of assault carried out by the school's football players, the newspaper reported.
Santa Margarita Catholic High School, located in Rancho Santa Margarita, is a coed Roman Catholic high school that is owned and operated by the Diocese of Orange. The high school's football team, the Santa Margarita Eagles, is one of the top-ranked in the state.
The school's football program is rigorous and highly competitive in the world of high school sports. It draws top players from around the region. The program has produced more than two dozen players who have gone on to the NFL since its inception in 1987.
Head Coach Anthony Rouzier was placed on administrative leave in an announcement made in early October, the Los Angeles Times reported.
It was not immediately clear whether his departure was tied to the incident, the newspaper said.
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