A 31-year-old basketball coach who has taught at a number of schools in the South Bay was arrested Wednesday in Hermosa Beach on charges of raping one of his female players.
Timothy Lucas of Cypress was taken into custody at Manhattan Beach Middle School by Hermosa Beach police detectives. He was being held at the Hermosa Beach police jail, with bail set at $200,000, said Sgt. Robert Higgins of the Hermosa Beach Police Department.
The alleged rape occurred at the coach’s residence in Hermosa Beach about 18 months ago, according to Higgins, who said details of the crime were being withheld because the victim is a juvenile. Her name was withheld.
Lucas has also worked at Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, Torrance West High School and Bishop Montgomery High School, according to Higgins.
Anyone with information relevant to the case was asked to call detectives Dean Garkow at (310) 318-0348 or Jonathan Cruz at (310) 318-0332.
— City News Service