Coach arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting girl
Marcial Gonzalez Jr. was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail
MORGANHILL » Authorities on Wednesday arrested a 27-year- old Morgan Hill man on suspicion of sexually assaulting a girl he met through his work as a youth soccer coach.
Marcial Gonzalez Jr. was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail in San Jose on multiple charges, including sexual assault of a minor, Morgan Hill police Sgt. Troy Hoefling said.
Gonzalez has worked extensively as a soccer coach in the South Bay, most recently at Oak Grove High School in San Jose. In a statement Wednesday, the East Side Union High School Dis- trict said Gonzalez was fired after police shared news of his arrest.
The district is cooperating with the criminal investigation, but there is no evidence at this point to suggest that the victim was a student at Oak Grove, according to the statement.
Gonzalez also coached at South Valley Junior High School in Gilroy. He previously worked as a coach at Sentinels Soccer Club and was the junior varsity boys soccer coach at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill from October 2015 to February 2016.
A spokeswoman for the Morgan Hill Unified School District confirmed Gonzalez’s employment as a coach for one season with Live Oak. Officials with the Sentinels Soccer Club and Gi lroy Unified School District could not be immediately reached for comment Wednesday evening.
Gonzalez also worked as a driver for the ridehailing service Lyft.
Because of Gonzalez’s association with youths through coaching, police are working to determine if there are other victims and witnesses. Anyone with information can call the Morgan Hill Police Department at 408-779-2101 or Detective Joe Burdick at 669-253- 4960.