Police have arrested 23-year-old Edward Baxter of Westminster, a high school basketball coach and teacher, on charges of s*xual assault involving a student, according to the SAPD.
On January 10, 2025, at approximately 8:30 p.m., Santa Ana Police Officers responded to the area of 1300 N. Tustin Avenue regarding a call for service involving a female and a male seen in the backseat of a vehicle.
The reporting party stated that the female was a Santa Ana High School student, and the male was believed to be a coach of the Santa Ana High School girls’ basketball team.
Upon officers’ arrival, the vehicle was no longer at the location, and the reporting party, relying on second-hand information, was unable to provide further details.
Detectives from the Special Crimes Section took over the investigation and conducted follow-up.
The victim, a 16-year-old Santa Ana High School student, was located and disclosed that she had been in a dating relationship with the coach.
The suspect was identified as Baxter, the head coach of the Santa Ana High School girls’ junior varsity basketball team.
On January 11, 2025, Baxter was contacted at his residence in Westminster and taken into custody.
He was booked at the Santa Ana Jail on s*xual assault-related charges.
Detectives believe there could be additional victims or witnesses to the crime.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective M. Thomas at 714-245-8346, mthomas@santa-ana.org, or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.
