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Hernando Today

Hernando High Coach Probe Released

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By LINNEA BROWN

Published: May 15, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - Details were released Thursday regarding the internal investigation of a suspended Hernando High School track coach who resigned last week amid controversy.

And they're extensive.

Eric Riggins, 31, a paraprofessional and track coach, was suspended with pay last month after Hernando County School District officials launched an investigation.

He resigned last Monday — two days after district officials recommended his termination.

The district's probe began April 18, with allegations that Riggins engaged in misconduct and violated the school board's code of ethics by socializing with students after the prom on April 5 at Clearwater Beach, where many students got hotel rooms for the evening.

The district collected dozens of statements from students who gave varied accounts of what happened that night. Some said Riggins and fellow track coach and long-term substitute Brent Mobley — who has since been fired — showed up at several students' Red Roof rooms briefly and left, while another reported that the pair showed up at 3 a.m. at a Best Western Room, asking if there was a party.

"I felt extremely uncomfortable and shocked by the situation," one student wrote in a statement.

The probe also includes allegations not related to prom night, including one teen who reported that Riggins put a hand up her skirt on one occasion and his hands on her private area on another. Both times the two were alone, and she said he told her not to tell, according to the district's reports.

The same student said she received a phone call from Riggins one evening when she was lying in bed. He reportedly told her he was driving around and wanted her to come outside, and made a comment perceived to be sexually explicit.

In meetings with students, several indicated to district officials that there were rumors circulating around school, including one that Riggins was "having intercourse" with a student. One parent said her child had physical contact with Riggins, but did not divulge details.

Riggins also sent sexually suggestive text messages, students said.

"Not all were sexual in nature, but some were," one student wrote, detailing several situations in which he texted sexual innuendoes or made "sexual inferences" when female students would drink from water bottles.

The documents also include an extensive rebuttal from Riggins, in which he denies all allegations.

While Riggins said he was in Clearwater on prom night — after serving as a designated chaperone for the event at Glen Lakes Country Club in Spring Hill — he denies drinking with students or visiting any of their hotel rooms.

He said he lets kids use his phone "all the time" and gave out his phone number to a student to talk about "track issues." He denied contacting any students via phone or texting after April 21, when school officials directed him not to, but said he let a male Hernando High student use his phone to contact a female student he "has a thing" for.

On May 2, the district's director of labor relations and professional standards, Barbara Kidder, recommended Riggins' termination.

School board attorney Paul Carland said officials are also aware of a separate criminal investigation being conducted, although last month, the Hernando County Sheriff's Office said it would not confirm or deny that a criminal investigation was ongoing. Historically, the agency takes that stance when an investigation involves minors or sex abuse.

Tampa-based attorney Laguerra Champagne, whom Riggins hired in April, said Monday that Riggins "vehemently denies the allegations" and stressed that no formal criminal charges have been filed.

At press time, neither Carland nor Champagne could be reached for comment.

Riggins briefly worked as an aide at the STAR center, Hernando County's alternative school, and spent three seasons coaching football and track and field at the Nature Coast Technical High School before moving to Hernando this past season to fill the position of offensive coordinator under new football coach Rodney Byrd.

He was in the midst of his first year as boys' track and field coach at Hernando.

All media attempts to contact Riggins, who lives in Brooksville, are now being directed to his attorney's office.

Records show Riggins pleaded no contest in 1998 to a charge of aggravated assault and received five years of probation. Two years later, two charges of possession or sale of marijuana were dropped against Riggins because of a witness problem. Mobley has no criminal record in Florida.

In 2006, the Florida Department of Education cited Riggins' arrests when denying his application for certification as a coach, but later reached a settlement in which Riggins was granted certification with conditions, including a $250 fine and a letter of reprimand.

Editor's note: See Saturday's Hernando Today for more details about the school district's probe.

Reporter Linnea Brown can be reached at 352-544-5289 or lbrown@hernandotoday.com.

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