School coach charged with sexual assault

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CHICAGO, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- Bail was set at $500,000 Friday for a Chicago high school basketball coach charged with sexually assaulting a student as he gave her a ride home in his car.

Kevin Jones, 33, a boys' basketball coach at Epic Academy Charter High School, was charged Thursday with two counts of criminal sexual assault and one count of attempted criminal sexual assault, the Cook County state's attorney's office said.

Assistant State's Attorney Joell Zahr said in court Friday two 17-year-old girls were riding in Jones' car Jan. 17 when he parked the car in an alley and tried to force one of the two to perform a sex act.

One girl told investigators she resisted and got out of the car but then saw Jones engaged in a sex act with the other girl, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Zahr said the girl who escaped told a friend and a teacher at her school about the incident.

Deputies escorted the mother of one of the alleged victims from the courtroom at the bond hearing Friday after she started yelling while Zahr described the allegations, the Tribune said. Friends of the woman pulled her out of the courthouse after she fell to the floor wailing, the newspaper said.

Jones' attorney, Jeff Granich, said "we look forward to going to trial and clearing his name."

Granich said Jones is married with two children, a deacon at his church and has no prior convictions.

As of Thursday, Jones was no longer employed at the school, said Cindy Hansen, an attorney for Epic Academy adding the school has "cooperated with police and the state's attorney's office."