Former Western Heights Coach, Accused Of Rape, Faces Jury Trial In May

Former Western Heights High School basketball coach Tyrone Nash says he wishes he could move on with his life. But with facing five counts of second-degree rape and five counts of forcible oral sodomy, he knows that's not possible.

Sunday, February 10th 2013, 10:32 pm

By: News 9

Former Western Heights Coach, Accused Of Rape, Faces Jury Trial In May

By Heather Hope, News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Former Western Heights High School basketball coach Tyrone Nash says he wishes he could move on with his life. But with facing five counts of second-degree rape and five counts of forcible oral sodomy, he knows that's not possible.

"Obviously with allegations of this nature, it puts a strain on ever being able to teach again because who wants to take a chance on someone that's possibly done something wrong?' Nash says.

Nash is accused of having sex with a 16-year-old Western Heights student in 2011. It is an allegation he boldly denies.

So to clear his name, he filed a motion to have the Oklahoma County Court declare the age of consent law unconstitutional. But his request was denied.

"Obviously, we're disappointed with that," said Nash's attorney David Slane. "But we respect what the court has said, and we'll move forward to trial."

Nash even took a lie detector test administered by the former chief examiner for the Oklahoma Police Department with charts which Oklahoma County District Attorney's Office Investigator Rich Thornburg checked. Nash answered 'No' to both questions on the polygraph examination summary that asked if he has sexual intercourse with the student.

"We're very confident to be able to prove the things that I have stated almost years ago at this point now that will come to light," Nash says.

Nash's next test is taking on a civil law suit that the then 16-year-old student filed against him last week. The plaintiff states in the court summons, that as "a result of the defendant's conduct, she suffered personal injuries, emotional distress and embarrassment, which are painful, progressive and permanent."

The former Western Heights student is suing Nash for punitive damages for more than $75,000. News 9 reached out to the attorney for the woman filing the lawsuit against Nash, but our calls were not immediately returned.