Former coach under fire again

A former Hernando High School football coach who left the district following allegations of inappropriately touching and drinking alcohol with students is now fighting to keep his education certification with the state.

During a public hearing Tuesday with the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings, an administrative law judge heard testimony about Eric Riggins' conduct with students during his tenure with the Hernando County School District.

The hearing was in response to an administrative complaint from the Florida Education Commission seeking to discipline Riggins following a school district investigation about allegations that he sexually touched two female students and sent sexually inappropriate texts.

Other allegations included that Riggins consumed alcohol with a group of high school students during their 2008 prom.

Penalties from the state could include a written reprimand, suspending Riggins' certification for a specific time period - or permanently - along with a fine.

During Friday's proceedings, witnesses who spoke included two former students claiming Riggins' sexual misconduct.

Because they may have been victims of sex crimes, their names are not being published by Hernando Today.

The first to give testimony said one time when she was in Riggins' office for in-school suspension he reached from behind and touched her under her skirt when the two were alone at the end of the school day.

In another instance while working as a track manager under Riggins, who was coaching, she said Riggins tried touching her again while they were alone going over athletic equipment.

She said she was originally hesitant to come forward because she was shocked and didn't want what happened to be known.

After the first instance, she hoped it wouldn't happen again. After the second occurrence, she said she hoped Riggins would just get the hint and leave her alone.

"I knew I didn't have any evidence and there weren't any witnesses and that if I came forward that I'd get ridiculed," the girl said. "Which is what happened. I still got ridiculed, and it was hard to finish my senior year."

She added that she and her parents agreed not to press charges and have Riggins prosecuted because she didn't want to go through the legal process only to have Riggins get probation.

Riggins, dressed in a purple suit, responded by asking the girl repeatedly why she continued to put herself in a situation where he could possibly hurt her again if what she said was true.

The girl responded that if she made sure she didn't get in-school suspension again, it wouldn't happen again and she could forget about it.

When Riggins continued to ask the girl about why she put herself in a supposedly bad situation, he was cautioned by the administrative law judge and attorney representing the Florida Department of Education that she'd already answered his question.

"Did she? I haven't heard an answer," Riggins said.

He then relented and said he had no more questions.

The other student in question gave a tearful testimony claiming that Riggins on one occasion grabbed her, pulled her to him and kissed her. When she turned and tried to walk away, he grabbed her and kissed her again.

She also said she didn't come forward initially because she was embarrassed and didn't want people to know about the incident.

In both cases, the girls said they received text messages from Riggins that included sexual content. Both came forward following rumors about what happened during their prom.

Remaining testimony involved school officials and other students who could place Riggins at the 2008 prom where one administrator said he was drunk and dancing at the event.

Dianne Azzarelli, who was then an assistant principal for Hernando High School, testified that Riggins and then-fellow track coach and long-term substitute teacher Brent Mobley arrived there drunk and were forced to leave the event.

She and other administrators who were called as witnesses also claimed that on different occasions Riggins lied to them - at one time claiming he was never drinking at Clearwater where the events took place or about being a chaperone at the prom.

Other testimony revolved around Riggins showing up at a hotel and drinking with students following the prom.

Following the testimony, Riggins briefly spoke on his behalf claiming the accusations against him where false and that he didn't hear about the inappropriate touching allegations until one of the hearings.

He added he did not go inside a hotel and drink with the students - instead claiming he was outside talking to them.

As for the prom, he said he was not drunk and that he was told he could stop by.

The administrative law judge will give her final recommendation in January, which will then go to the Florida Department of Education Commission, which will decide whether to accept her recommendation.