Man Charged With Sexual Abuse Claims It Was Distracted Driving Training

Tulsa County prosecutors have charged a man with sexually abusing three young girls.

According to court documents, Richard Coons is accused of touching the 12- and 13-year-old girls inappropriately while teaching them how to drive.  An affidavit said Coons would take the girls out driving in his truck one at a time. He would sit next to them and work the pedals as they steered, investigators said.

All three girls told police very similar stories when interviewed separately, the affidavit says. Police say the girls said Coons would reach over and touch their breasts or genitals during the driving lessons.

When they protested, the girls said Coons told them it was a distraction technique to help them focus on driving. He also reportedly told them that since they were female, they needed to get used to being touched that way because men would be doing it the rest of their lives, according to police.

Investigators say Coons threatened members of the girls’ families if they went to police and told the girls that no one would believe them. One of the girls eventually did come forward, and the other two girls then also reported the alleged abuse to adults, police said.