Coach Accused of Molesting Youths Commits Suicide

A 28-year-old high school teacher and football coach who was suspected of molesting two teenage boys committed suicide in his parents’ backyard, authorities said Friday.

Roberto Paul Regalado of Azusa was found dead Thursday night in the backyard of a home on Citrus Edge Street, authorities said. Investigators believe he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Deputy Steve Sciacca said.

His family members called police shortly before 8 p.m. to report the shooting, Sciacca said. Family members were home at the time but did not see the incident, police said.

Regalado, an auto shop teacher at Gladstone High School in Covina and a volunteer football coach at Baldwin Park High School, was arrested twice last week after two boys made allegations of sexual assaults.

He was arrested July 7 after a 17-year-old boy told authorities that Regalado sexually assaulted him a number of times over three years. Regalado was released after posting $75,000 bail.

But two days later, he was arrested again after a second 17-year-old told detectives that he had been sexually assaulted by Regalado several times over an eight-month period, mainly at the teacher’s home. The boy met Regalado in 1996 at Azusa High School, where he was coaching the football team, police said.

Regalado was released July 10 after posting $250,000 bail.