Former high school assistant softball coach acquitted of sexual battery of a student
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MONTPELIER — A former assistant softball coach was found not guilty of sexual battery charges following a jury trial.
Rilee Ann Lutz, from Paris, Idaho, was acquitted on Nov. 26. after a seven-day trial in Bear Lake County.
Lutz was originally charged with felony sexual battery of a child committed by lewd or lascivious acts and sexual battery of a minor child between 16 to 17 years of age.
Background
The allegations were reported to police in September 2022. A counselor at Bear Lake High School in Montpelier contacted the Bear Lake County Sheriff’s Office, reporting Lutz had been involved in a sexual relationship with one of her female student-athletes.
According to court documents, a student had reported to the counselor that another student was sexually involved with Lutz. The reporting student told the counselor they had “witnessed them making out.”
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Police reports state there were rumors of a video or picture showing Lutz and the female student kissing in a car, but deputies were never able to locate the footage.
The victim later told deputies she had been having a “romantic/sexual relationship with Lutz,” according to court documents.
According to deputies, the victim disclosed Lutz had ended the relationship after the two discussed “being careful.”
Deputies were able to interview Lutz, who initially denied having “any type of sexual relationship” with the victim, and that her relationship with the victim was “the same as her relationship with all of her players,” according to court documents.
Lutz eventually admitted the victim “had kissed her” but said she couldn’t remember the circumstances. She then changed her story and said she had kissed the victim “twice, maybe.”
Later, Lutz admitted to getting “handsy” with the victim and stated there had been sexual contact at a hotel in Idaho Falls, but stated the victim was 18 at that point.