Published: May 06, 2008 11:51 am            

WILSON CASE

COURTS: Baia, Atlas set to appear on same day as three arrested students.

The two coaches charged in connection with the alleged assault on a Wilson school bus will not appear in court until later this month.

Coaches Thomas J. Baia Jr. and William Atlas, each charged with endangering the welfare of a child, were originally set to appear Thursday in Wilson Town Court.

A court official said Tuesday that the date was released in error, and the coaches will instead appear May 22 — the same day as three varsity baseball players are scheduled to appear.

The students — 18-year-old Geoffrey A. Seefeldt and 16-year-olds Colton J. Sherman and Christopher A. Sidote — have been charged with various counts of endangering the welfare of a child and third-degree aggravated sexual abuse.

State police said the alleged incident occured April 17 on a bus carrying members of the varsity and junior varsity baseball teams, as they returned to Wilson from Niagara Falls.

The varsity players are accused of assaulting at least two members of the junior varsity team on the floor in the back of the bus.

Baia and Atlas were on the bus at the time, according to State Police Lt. Richard Allen.

Both were suspended from coaching when school administrators learned of the investigation.

The varsity baseball season has been cancelled.

Atlas, 35, is a physical education teacher at Thomas Marks Elementary School in Wilson and Baia, 40, also of Wilson, is a math teacher at Wilson Middle School.

They have been suspended with pay from teaching.

Contact reporter April Amadon at 439-9222, ext. 6251.



• TIPS: State police investigators are asking anyone with information on potential hazing at Wilson High School to call the Lockport barracks at 434-5588.

        

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