South Pasadena Resident and Retired Teacher Arrested for Allegedly Serving Alcohol to Minors

South Pasadena resident David Lyman, a 66-year-old retired Blair High School teacher, was arrested Thursday for allegedly serving beer, wine and tequila to minors on multiple occasions in his South Pasadena home, according to South Pasadena Police Detective Sgt. Jim Valencia.

Lyman turned himself in to South Pasadena Police Department after police issued a $5,000 misdemeanor warrant for his arrest, Sgt. Valencia said. Lyman was released on a citation to appear in Alhambra Superior Court, and his arraignment date is scheduled for April 25, according to Sgt. Valencia.

Lyman taught special education at Blair High School in Pasadena from September 1983 to February 2007, according to the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD). He was rehired in July 2007, and he resigned on February 1, 2011, according to PUSD Communications Director Binti Harvey. 

"As soon as were were notified of the concerns, we immediately placed him on leave," Harvey said. She could not comment on the person who made the complaint. 

The police investigation began in late-January, after PUSD Human Resources received complaints against Lyman. According to Sgt. Valencia, police interviewed seven juveniles under age 18, and the majority were current of former Blair High School students. "No South Pasadena residents or students were interviewed in regards to this case," Sgt. Valencia said.

According to Sgt. Valencia, Lyman allegedly served alcohol to minors between June and December 2010. The Pasadena school district also received complaints that Lyman allegedly allowed minors to view pornography on his computer, but the District Attorney's office determined there was insufficient evidence to proceed with a charge related to the pornography.