Former wrestling coach charged with assaulting teen wrestlers; parents outraged

BELLWOOD, Pa. (WJAC) -- State police conducted an investigation at the Bellwood-Antis School District on Tuesday, after they said a former assistant wrestling coach was charged with sexually assaulting two teens. Parents want to know what went wrong.

“Most of you have children and grandchildren,” said one grandparent. “My grandchild wrestled last year. I can’t say what I would’ve done if he would’ve been one of the victims.”

Police said Children and Youth Services reported in December 2019 that 39-year-old Ryan Blazier had sexually assaulted an 8-year-old girl. According to the criminal complaint, the girl told police Blazier started raping her when she was 3. Police said they were contacted in early February by the stepmother of a boy on the wrestling team who believed Blazier had assaulted her stepson.

Last week, Blazier was arrested and charged with assaulting two boys in a middle school wrestling room. The district superintendent told parents he's not allowed to comment until the Pennsylvania State Police investigation is complete.

“We have some answers, but we’re not allowed to say,” said Dr. Thomas McInroy. “We have to wait for the PSP to tell us that it’s OK.”

According to court documents, one victim told police an assault happened between February and April of 2019. Police said a janitor claims he heard a scream and discovered Blazier and the victim in a locked, windowless room with a wrestling mat on the floor. The janitor told police Blazier used this room for "special training," according to the complaint.

“There’s absolutely no reason that our children should have to go to school and be worried that somebody is going to inappropriately touch them,” said one parent.

“Now I got to worry about my kid,” said another parent. “I’m pulling him out of your school.”

Court documents said the janitor claims he told at least three school officials what he had witnessed. Police said a second victim said he and the first victim were molested in the same windowless room in January, claiming when he told the head coach they were with Blazier, the coach said Blazier was not supposed to be with them alone., according to the complaint. One victim told police the assault in 2019 is the reason the school added a window to the room.

“Why didn’t reporting happen when it was supposed to be?” one grandparent said. “They knew. The window went in, so you knew.”

“Even if you saved one child from that happening again,” said another.

“You sacrificed our children to save face,” said Eleanor Killinger, a Bellwood-Antis School District parent.

First Assistant District Attorney Pete Weeks said police seized documents Tuesday and their investigation is ongoing. He said mandated reporters have an obligation to alert authorities. He would not comment on if the school district reported the allegations appropriately.

"I am accountable, and I take that very seriously,” McInroy said. “We have worked very hard for security.”

Blazier is in the Blair County prison on $750,000 bail. His preliminary hearing is March 10, the same day as the next Bellwood-Antis school board meeting. Some parents said they will be back, looking for answers again.

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