High School Coach Arrested For Dating 16-Year-Old Student, Police Say

SANTA ANA, CA — An Orange County high school basketball coach was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault for reportedly having a dating relationship with a 16-year-old student, police said Sunday.

The 23-year-old man, identified as Westminster resident Edward Baxter, served as the head coach of the Santa Ana High School girls' junior varsity basketball team.

About 8:30 p.m. Friday, officers responded to the area of the 1300 block of North Tustin Avenue regarding a call for service involving a female and a male seen in the backseat of a vehicle, said Santa Ana Police Department Public Information Officer Natalie Garcia.

"The reporting party stated that the female was a Santa Ana High School student, and the male was believed to be a coach of the Santa Ana High School girl's basketball team," Garcia said. "Upon officers' arrival, the vehicle was no longer at the location."

The reporting party had relied on second-hand information and was unable to provide further details.

Detectives, conducting a follow-up investigation, located the 16-year- old girl, who said that she had a dating relationship with a coach, she said.

The suspect was identified as Edward Baxter, 23, of Westminster, who was the head coach of the Santa Ana High School girls' junior varsity basketball team.

Baxter was taken into custody Saturday at his home and was booked at the Santa Ana Jail on sexual assault-related charges.

Anyone with any information regarding the incident was urged to call the Santa Ana Police Department at 714-245-8346 or mthomas@santa-ana.org, or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-847-6227.