Deal strips ex-Richland teacher of certification, drops sex charges in 2 years
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Prosecutors may dismiss 2 molestation counts in 2 years if teacher surrenders license.
- Agreement requires two years of compliance and court review if violations occur.
- Victims, police and prosecutor favored resolution; defense denied proof for trial.
Charges could be dismissed in two years against a former Richland High School physics teacher accused of inappropriately touching two female students.
Prosecutors charged John Bittinger, 65, three years ago with two counts of third-degree molestation.
Newly filed court documents show the charges will be dropped and cannot be filed again if Bittinger turns over this teaching certificate, gets sex offender treatment and doesn’t break any laws in the next two years.
If he fails to meet the requirements during that time, a judge can use the police reports to decide if he is guilty.
Benton County Prosecutor Eric Eisinger said he made the recommendation after consulting with the victims in the case and the Richland Police Department.
“From those meetings, it was determined that it was in the best interests of the victims and the state to resolve the matter in this fashion,” he told the Tri-City Herald.
Defense attorney Scott Johnson contends the allegations are “baseless” and that prosecutors couldn’t have proven that a crime was committed.
“There was no world in which my client would have pled guilty to anything,” he told the Herald. “The stipulated order of continuance allowed us to resolve the case without admitting any guilt and avoiding the cost and stress of a long trial.”
Student accusations
Bittinger worked in Richland from 2008 to 2019 when the allegations were made. He no longer works for the school district, and isn’t listed as being employed at another district in Washington.
Richland High School began investigating Bittinger after some current and former students said he engaged in behavior that made them uncomfortable, such as staring at female students’ breasts and touching their lower backs and/or butt, court documents alleged.
In one case, a teen said she was making up a lab session when Bittinger allegedly pushed her into his desk, removed her underwear and exposed himself as he tried to inappropriately touch her, court documents said. She said she kicked him and fled the classroom, documents said.
Another teen said he “looked down her shirt and was very touchy while she was in his class,” court documents claimed.