Football coach charged with assault of student

Subscribe Now Choose a package that suits your preferences.
Start Free Account Get access to 7 premium stories every month for FREE!
Already a Subscriber? Current print subscriber? Activate your complimentary Digital account.

Tribune-Herald

Tribune-Herald

An assistant football coach at Kamehameha Schools-Hawaii Campus in Keaau has been arrested and charged for an alleged assault on a varsity football player during a practice at the school.

According to a police log, 35-year-old William Daniel “Danny” Pacheco of Keaau turned himself in at the Pahoa police station on Sept. 6. He was charged with third-degree assault, a misdemeanor, and released after posting $500 bail.

The log stated that Pacheco’s initial court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 7 in Hilo District Court.

Police Lt. Reed Mahuna of Puna Patrol Division said Friday that the incident occurred on Sept. 3. The victim’s name is not being released since he is a minor.

“The victim made a report to us and we investigated that report and the suspect turned himself in,” Mahuna said.

Asked about injuries to the player, Mahuna cited medical information confidentiality laws.

“The victim had injuries, but I can’t release the the extent of those injuries,” he said.

Kamehameha Athletic Director Kimo Weaver said Friday he couldn’t disclose whether Pacheco is still a coach at the private school.

“Sorry, it’s a personnel matter,” he said.

Weaver said he also could not discuss the player’s condition.

Pacheco, who is 6-foot-3 and 300-plus pounds, played football at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas in the late 1990s, originally as a defensive tackle before moving to the offensive line. He was a three-year letterman for Kamehameha’s Kapalama Campus on Oahu and led the Interscholastic League of Honolulu with 14 quarterback sacks as a senior and was named a second-team all-state tackle.

A search of court records turned up no prior criminal record for Pacheco.

The Tribune-Herald doesn’t have a phone number for Pacheco and a Friday afternoon Facebook message seeking comment was not returned by press time.