More Students Accuse Former El Toro Coach of Fondling Them

LAKE FOREST — A former high school track coach already accused of fondling female students was charged with additional counts after more girls alleged he inappropriately touched them, authorities said Wednesday.

Vernon Brent Smith, 50, who coached at El Toro High School, had been charged with two felony counts of lewd acts on a child and six misdemeanor counts of sexual battery, all involving several girls. Smith was arrested at his home in Mission Viejo by sheriff’s detectives on Jan. 29 after a four-month police investigation, Orange County Sheriff’s Lt. Hector Rivera said.

Three additional felony and two misdemeanor counts were filed against Smith on Monday, stemming from alleged incidents with additional girls, Rivera said. A total of 14 alleged victims have been interviewed, Rivera said.

Smith is to be arraigned March 23.

Smith was a walk-on coach for the girls’ cross-country team during the 1996-97 school year. He was dismissed from the job before his arrest for unrelated reasons, said Bill Manahan, assistant superintendent of the Saddleback Valley Unified School District.