Teacher denies student sex charges

Monday, May 11, 1998 | 10:29 a.m.

William James Peterson, 40, of South Lake Tahoe, surrendered to Washoe County detectives Friday in Reno. He was released on $32,000 bail Friday night.

In a telephone interview Sunday, Peterson told the Tahoe Daily Tribune he knows both of the girls but the allegations are untrue.

Peterson also criticized Reno media, saying, "Not one of them has tried to contact me. It's out of control and really unfair. I've been tried and convicted already. It's unbearable for my family and all of the people that know me."

Peterson, who has a wife and four children, is currently on administrative leave from Galena. His arraignment is scheduled this week.

In addition to teaching and coaching at the Reno-area high school, Peterson teaches part-time at Lake Tahoe Community College and is active with the South Lake Tahoe Little League and Babe Ruth baseball programs.

Detectives had been seeking Peterson on a warrant charging him with three counts of sexual contact with a 17-year-old student who, according to Reno media accounts, has spent time in a psychiatric facility, and two counts of supplying marijuana to another student, an 18-year-old girl who quit school in January.

Sheriff's Sgt. Bob Towery said detectives were notified of the sexual charges April 28.

Peterson, a Lake Tahoe resident since 1990, said he's confident that he'll be exonerated once the truth comes out.

"They're taking unverified statements and running them as facts. I haven't seen the kind of evidence they have. I just know they've been investigating this for a couple of weeks," he said.