Published: May 07, 2008 02:27 am            

WILSON: Coaches due in court May 22

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

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 occurred 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, said State Police Lt. Richard Allen.

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

The varsity baseball season has been canceled.

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.

Both were released on appearance tickets upon their arrests. Each of the three teens was released on his own recognizance.

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

        

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