High school coach dismissed after student sex allegations surface

UNIONVILLE, N.C. — A high school basketball coach was dismissed after he was arrested on charges that he had sex with a female student.

Bart Shartzer was arrested Tuesday after allegations surfaced he had been involved in an inappropriate relationship with the 17-year-old girl for nearly three months.

"There was information being talked about among the students, and they felt strong enough about it to come forward and report it to the counselor and the school resource officer," said Capt. Cody Luke with the Union County Sheriff's Office.

Shartzer, 23, was the head basketball coach for the boys’ junior varsity team at Piedmont High School in northern Union County for the past two seasons.

Investigators said he first met the student in the parking lot of the high school after one of the games, and the relationship grew from there.

Deputies said none of the sexual encounters occurred on school property.

The school district first learned of the allegations on April 25, when the school resource officer confronted the student about the rumors.

"She admitted there had been an inappropriate relationship with the basketball coach," Luke said.

The district dismissed Shartzer from his coaching duties the next day.

Although he was in a volunteer position with the team, district officials said they still performed a background check on Shartzer. His record was clean.

Shartzer remains free on bond until his case goes to a grand jury.

WSOC