10-04-2007, 02:56 PM
Judge tosses ticket against ex-principal
By TODD RUGER
todd.ruger@heraldtribune.com
SARASOTA COUNTY -- A judge threw out a traffic citation :shock: Monday against a former Heron Creek Middle School principal accused of allowing an unauthorized minor to drive his vehicle.
North Port police cited Scott A. Wilson, 44, after a minor in his custody was stopped for running a stop sign about 3 a.m. in Wilson's car.
But there was no evidence that Wilson gave the minor permission to drive the car or even knew the car was missing until a police phone call woke him up, defense attorney Andrea Mogensen said.
"The parent isn't automatically liable for the acts of the kids," Mogensen said.
The traffic charge is not the only allegation against Wilson involving teenagers.
Police are still investigating accusations made by a 16-year-old boy who told officers that Wilson molested him in a shower, but Wilson has not been charged in that case.
The boy also told investigators that Wilson solicited sexual favors from him for money using cell phone text messages and tried to get him to watch pornography on a computer, court records show.
The investigation began in late July with a complaint against Wilson to the state's child abuse hot line.
The Department of Children and Families was told of the text messages and forwarded the complaint to investigators with the North Port police. Police searched Wilson's home this summer, removing two computers and other items.
Wilson was hired by the school district in 2002 and was named principal of Heron Creek when the school opened in 2003.
He resigned in July. His attorney says the accusations of molestation were a surprise to Wilson and he denies them.
Before coming to Sarasota, Wilson was an educator in Kansas and Missouri.
Neither state had any record of disciplinary action against him.
By TODD RUGER
todd.ruger@heraldtribune.com
SARASOTA COUNTY -- A judge threw out a traffic citation :shock: Monday against a former Heron Creek Middle School principal accused of allowing an unauthorized minor to drive his vehicle.
North Port police cited Scott A. Wilson, 44, after a minor in his custody was stopped for running a stop sign about 3 a.m. in Wilson's car.
But there was no evidence that Wilson gave the minor permission to drive the car or even knew the car was missing until a police phone call woke him up, defense attorney Andrea Mogensen said.
"The parent isn't automatically liable for the acts of the kids," Mogensen said.
The traffic charge is not the only allegation against Wilson involving teenagers.
Police are still investigating accusations made by a 16-year-old boy who told officers that Wilson molested him in a shower, but Wilson has not been charged in that case.
The boy also told investigators that Wilson solicited sexual favors from him for money using cell phone text messages and tried to get him to watch pornography on a computer, court records show.
The investigation began in late July with a complaint against Wilson to the state's child abuse hot line.
The Department of Children and Families was told of the text messages and forwarded the complaint to investigators with the North Port police. Police searched Wilson's home this summer, removing two computers and other items.
Wilson was hired by the school district in 2002 and was named principal of Heron Creek when the school opened in 2003.
He resigned in July. His attorney says the accusations of molestation were a surprise to Wilson and he denies them.
Before coming to Sarasota, Wilson was an educator in Kansas and Missouri.
Neither state had any record of disciplinary action against him.