Park City High School athlete speaks out in tennis coach’s child abuse case

Dozens of people showed up in court Tuesday to support Park City High School tennis coach Lani Wilcox. He is charged with aggravated child abuse, a third-degree felony, and one count of obstructing an emergency call, a Class B felony, stemming from the Aug. 29, 2022, altercation.

His lawyers asked for a mistrial. Under Utah’s new law, defendants can, before the case goes to trial, ask prosecutors to prove that the crime was not committed in self-defense or in defense of others.

The Wilcoxes’ attorney, Clayton Simms, has called their actions that day self-defense. He said he wasn’t just trying to protect himself, he was also protecting other players on the field.

Wilcox testified Tuesday that it all started when he told the alleged victim what position he would play in the next few days’ match. Shocked by the news, the student went to the bathroom with his phone to calm down.

When he returned about an hour later, Wilcox testified that he asked the student to leave because he was not going to let him return to practice.

But the student didn’t leave. Surveillance video shown in court shows Wilcox and the student exchanging words several times before the student punched Wilcox in the face.

“I turned around when he came after me and he hit me really hard,” Wilcox said. And at the same time he hit me, he said, ‘F*** you, Lani.’

Prosecutors played surveillance video showing Wilcox approaching the alleged victim several times.

The cross-examination focused on who approached whom first and whether they hit each other in the face.

But are you saying that because I get close to him, he gets to hit me? Is that what you’re suggesting? Wilcox said.

I ask questions. He’s not hitting on you here, is he? the prosecutor said.

No, but he’s been very defiant in the last few minutes, if you’ve noticed he didn’t go,” Wilcox said.

Prosecutor Patricia Cassell argued that after the punch, Wilcox choked the player, leaving him unable to breathe.

The video shows the two falling backwards. Wilcox testified that he suffered a concussion when his head hit the concrete.

Wilcox testified that he was shocked by the fall and it was unclear what happened next, other than that he tried to keep everyone on the field safe.

Do you feel a sense of responsibility towards other tennis girls and other people present? asked defense attorney Clayton Simms.

I want to. I am their coach. I should protect them, Wilcox said.

Did you do that? Simms asked.

Yes, Wilcox said.

Assistant tennis coach Brad Smith was on the court that day. As Wilcox and the player fell to the ground, the video shows Smith running to help. The video shows how the player kicked him in the groin.

Defense attorney Clayton Simms asked Smith if the dispute was a surprise.

It was very unexpected. I would never expect a student to hit a senior citizen, almost, sorry Lani,” Smith said.

On the stand, the player said he was upset, but after spending an hour in the bathroom on the phone with his mother and stepfather, he calmed down.

I try to explain my situation but he also yells at me. So I try to defuse the situation, but also defend myself, he said.

He admitted punching Wilcox in the face and said he tried to walk away afterward.

I really don’t know what happened. The next thing I knew I was on the ground. And then I realized I couldn’t breathe, she said. So then I put his hand on the back of my neck because I’m so small so I was like I put my head over and I think one of his hands hit his face.

He testified that he did not hit Wilcox very hard. He said the red mark on Wilcox’s face, which was displayed on a poster in court, was not his fault, it was because Wilcox must have punched him in the face.

Yeah, that’s Lani, but I didn’t hit her that hard, he said.

He hit himself? asked Simms.

Yeah, that’s what I think,” he said.

After the altercation, police arrived at the Park City Municipal Athletic & Recreation Center (MARC), as did the students’ parents.

When Wilcox met with the parents to show them what their daughter had allegedly done, both Wilcox and Smith testified that the students’ stepfather said that maybe Wilcox hit himself in the face.

The students’ mother took the stand Tuesday and testified that Wilcox admitted to choking their daughter.

My husband said: Did you choke my daughter?

What he said?

He said yes, I actually choked him twice,” he said.

On cross-examination, the Wilcoxs’ attorney reminded the students’ mother that she had taken an oath. Before the legal hearing concluded, he brought Wilcox and Smith back to the stand to rebut the mothers’ testimony.

Judge Richard Mrazik did not issue a ruling. Next, the prosecutor and the defense will submit press releases summarizing their arguments.

A decision on transferring the case to trial is expected on March 24, 2023.