Crestwood High teacher accused of having sex with teenage student

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A Crestwood High School teacher was arrested after being accused of having sex with a student in Sumter County.

John Louis Tricoche, 23, of Pelham Drive in Columbia, was charged with two counts sexual battery with a 16- or 17-year old student with no aggravated force or coercion, said Deputy Adrienne Sarvis, public information officer for the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.

Warrants claim Tricoche had sexual intercourse with a female victim while she was a student at two locations in Sumter County on or between Nov. 1, 2019, and April 11.

“The charges are deeply concerning and unacceptable,” Sumter School District Superintendent Penelope Martin-Knox said. “This teacher’s alleged actions do not represent the values of our dedicated educators in Sumter School District. We hold our employees to a high standard of trust, integrity and character, and those standards have been violated.”

Sarvis said Tricoche was arrested on Thursday.

According to district spokeswoman Shelly Galloway, he was a Sumter School District employee for two years.

According to Crestwood's website, he is one of 10 career and technology teachers and was still listed as such on Thursday afternoon. Galloway said, "there is a process we must follow in terms of due process, but administrative action has been taken."

“As the law enforcement agency that provides security for Crestwood High School, we take every concern and allegation seriously,” said Sumter County Sheriff Anthony Dennis. “The charges issued are the results of a thorough and diligent investigation.”