A former Pennsylvania teacher teacher accused of getting a student drunk and sexually assaulting him faced his accuser in court Wednesday.
The victim testified that David Cook, a former Spanish teacher at Fort Cherry High School, a member of the McDonald Volunteer Fire Department and an EMT, gave him alcohol until he blacked out and then sexually assaulted him.
Cook was tight-lipped leaving court following the testimony. He faces felony charges, including rape of an unconscious victim and institutional sexual assault.
The charges stemmed from a party in McDonald, Pennsylvania, in November 2015.
In court Wednesday, Cook's alleged victim, now a high school senior, testified that Cook took him into a garage, saying, "He would like to mentor me if I ever need it about my sexuality."
The boy said their conversation became increasingly sexual, and he began drinking vodka. He said, "Things started to blur," he blacked out and woke to find a Cook performing a sexual act on him.
A 16-year-old girl also took the stand, testifying that she went into the basement the following morning and saw the victim and Cook on a couch together.
A staff member in the Fort Cherry School District heard what happened and reported it to school officials and police, WPXI reported.
Authorities said that when they interviewed the victim, the boy said Cook often supplied him with alcohol and Cook directed him to tell police, if questioned, that the alcohol was windshield wiper fluid.
Police said the boy initially said the assault may have been a dream.
During cross examination, Cook's defense attorney questioned the victim, asking, "Why did you tell the police officer nothing happened?" "I just hoped I wouldn't need to explain the details of what happened. (I) kept telling myself it was a bad dream," the teen testified.
Cook was ordered to stand trial on all charges. As of Thursday morning, Cook remained on paid leave from the school district, WPXI reported.
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