Warden coach arrested

Girls' basketball coach Bob Macintosh taken in on warrant for alleged indecent liberties

MOSES LAKE — Robert T. Macintosh, head coach of the Warden High School girls basketball team, was arrested Thursday evening on a warrant for indecent liberties.

The warrant, issued by the Superior Court of Washington out of Spokane County on Dec. 22, 2004, indicates that Macintosh, 38, allegedly had sexual contact with a Whatcom County high school girls basketball player during a tournament in Spokane in June of 2003. The Moses Lake Police Department arrested Macintosh at his residence Thursday.

According to the girl's testimony to the Spokane Police Department, Macintosh entered her hotel room and forced her onto the bed while giving her a hug, placing his hands on her breasts for approximately one and a half minutes.

The alleged victim said she began to cry and scream at Macintosh to get off. There were other players in the room, the girl stated, who witnessed the incident, "and appeared to be in shock." Macintosh then got off her and walked out of the room, according to court documents.

The alleged victim told investigators that during the team's dinner that night, Macintosh put his arms around her and said he would be "her Poppa Mack" for the week. She added that upon her return from the tournament, she suffered from depression and was taken to a health care professional.

A member of the basketball team at the time told the Spokane Police Department that Macintosh would give players bear hugs and lift them off the ground. Another witness said she saw Macintosh rub his tongue around his lips when looking at her.

Macintosh continued coaching the Mount Baker High School basketball team during the winter season and led the Mountaineers to a 15-7 regular season record and a third place finish at the 2A state tournament in March of 2004. That summer, Macintosh was hired by the Warden School District as a teacher and as the team's head coach.

On Nov. 23, 2004, the Spokane Police Department finished its investigation and determined probable cause against Macintosh for indecent liberties against the alleged victim somewhere between March 31 and July 1, 2004. On Dec. 22, 2004, a warrant was issued for his arrest.

The time period given by witnesses and the the alleged victim do not match the court document's time period. The Spokane Prosecutor's office said it was looking into the matter.

Macintosh posted bail Friday afternoon set at $50,000 by the Superior Court of the State of Washington in Spokane County.

Larry Blades, superintendent of the Warden School District declined comment, saying the school would not make any "statement on personnel issues in the public forum.

"It is a police matter now and the school district will take the appropriate matters as soon as that is over," he said. Macintosh's home did not return the Herald's phone call.

On Friday, the Warden High School girls basketball team had a team meeting after school and assistant coach Todd Kisler was named the interim head coach for Saturday's game against Columbia-Burbank. Today, the school district was to make further announcements regarding the girls basketball program, an anonymous source said.