Apr 15, 2009 12:05 pm US/Central
Teacher Indicted For Alleged Sex With Student
Sarah L. Tolzien Expected To Plead Not Guilty At Arraignment
MARKHAM, Ill. (Sun-Times Media Wire) ―
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South suburban high school teacher Sarah Tolzien is charged with having sex with a teenage male student in Matteson.
Matteson Police
A former Rich South High School teacher was indicted Wednesday on
felony sexual assault charges for allegedly engaging in sex with a student.
Sarah L. Tolzien, 24, of Arlington Heights, is expected to plead not guilty at her arraignment April 27 at the Markham Courthouse.
Tolzien, dressed in a pink overcoat and brown pants, appeared at the courthouse Wednesday morning with her father. They sat together in the corner.
"We're going to vigorously defend ourselves and see what happens," Tolzien's attorney Bruce Brandwein said. "She didn't do it. It's as simple as that."
The mother of the student involved said she was grateful the case was moving forward.
"We're looking forward to the system working itself out," she said, adding that the family has been in touch with Chicago-based civil attorney Benjamin Obi Nwoye and are considering a lawsuit. "We're confident it will."
Tolzien, who also coached the boys varsity cross country team at the Richton Park school, resigned Dec. 2, police said.
The sexual activity between Tolzien and the boy, a member of the cross country team, allegedly occurred in Matteson while she gave him rides home on Nov. 14 and Nov. 17, according to police.
They said the boy's mother found text messages on his cell phone between him and Tolzien that were sexual in nature, and she notified police in late November.
The boy initially denied having sex with Tolzien but later admitted that it had occurred on two occasions when she drove him home, police said.
He also told police Tolzien gave him a bottle of cologne and a card for his birthday.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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