Lancaster County Doctor Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Student In High School Athletic Trainer's Room
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS/AP) -- A Pennsylvania sports medicine doctor who spent decades working with high school athletes has been charged with sexually assaulting five patients, including two minors — one of them in a high school athletic trainer's room. Dr. William Vollmar was charged Wednesday with felony institutional sexual assault, corruption of minors and other offenses. Records show he was released on bond. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, whose office is prosecuting Vollmar, said there might be additional victims, and he encouraged them to come forward.
"Parents of children who have been treated by him should have a conversation about their experiences, regardless of how old they are now," Shapiro said.
A message was left with Vollmar's attorney, Michael Winters.
Vollmar, 55, of the Lancaster County town of Willow Street, had contracts to work at six school districts, a private school and a college. Prosecutors said he also worked at many district and state athletic competitions over the years and was a member of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Sports Medicine Advisory Committee.
State police charged him last month with touching the penis of a man during a March 14 sports massage. Vollmar asked the patient, "Do you trust me?" before manipulating his genitals, according to court documents. The man stopped Vollmar and ended the massage. Police said Vollmar acknowledged the sexual contact, but claimed he thought the patient "was revealing interest."
Wednesday's charges involve four additional patients. One of the victims was a 17-year-old student at Conestoga Valley High School, according to charging documents. Vollmar touched the student's penis on two separate occasions at the high school this year, authorities said.
"Dr. Vollmar's position of authority and public trust gave him widespread access to minors—these four victims have reported that he manipulated that trust to abuse them," Shapiro said. "This is the beginning of our case to hold this sports medicine doctor accountable, and we encourage anyone with information to contact us."
Vollmar allegedly assaulted another Conestoga student in the 1990s. He returned as Vollmar's patient in 2016 and 2017, and Vollmar again sexually assaulted him, according to an affidavit.
Officials at Conestoga said Wednesday they were preparing a statement about Vollmar.
Vollmar's medical license was suspended last month.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
