Fraser

Track coach facing life felonies for sex with student

By Heidi Roman
C & G Staff Writer

Tommie Boyd

FRASER — A former Detroit Lions player who coached track at Fraser High School is accused of having a sexual relationship with a student who was 14 years old when the contact began. He’s also being investigated for alleged relationships with other underage girls.

Tommie Leeshay Boyd, 38, allegedly began inappropriately touching the student at school while he coached her in 2007, and the relationship escalated.

“Since she was 14 (years old) he’s been walking up to her and grabbing her numerous, numerous times,” said Fraser Detective Lt. Dan Kolke.

Boyd, a Shelby Township resident, played football for the Detroit Lions for one year in the 1990s. He was a contract employee who taught at Fraser High School part time while he coached track.

He is accused of having sexual contact with the student at her Fraser home near 13 Mile Road and taking her to a motel in Roseville to have sex in July 2009. That’s believed to be the last time they were together, police said.

Authorities were made aware of the relationship because of answers the student had written on a psychology class exam in school. One of the questions asked students what they would change about themselves if they had the choice, and she indicated she regretted an incident that occurred last summer, Kolke said.

School officials started looking into it and alerted Fraser Public Safety detectives of the situation.

“She came forward with it,” Kolke said. “There was some pressure (to have sex with Boyd) because he was forcing her and offered her money to help out, supposedly.”

He was arrested at night on Jan. 20 after he failed to appear for a scheduled polygraph test and was arraigned on Jan. 21.

Because the girl is underage and Boyd is a person of authority, he was charged with felonies. Roseville Police charged Boyd with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, since the sex occurred at a motel near Little Mack and 13 Mile Road in Roseville. The charges carry a penalty of up to life in prison.

Fraser charged him with two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, an elevated charge because of Boyd’s position as a teacher and her coach. He was also charged with two counts of accosting a minor for immoral purposes.

Bond was set at $200,000 in Roseville and $100,000 in Fraser. If he is released on bond, he will remain on a tether, Kolke said.

Boyd is also being investigated for alleged inappropriate relationships with other students, though they are not Fraser students.

“There are at least three other girls that we’ve interviewed and are looking at getting warrants for,” Kolke said.

Roseville Police have launched their own investigation.

Kolke stressed that the Fraser Public Schools district did the right thing by notifying police about the student’s exam response. The first time the district became aware of the criminal allegations was Jan. 6, Kolke said.

Since then, Superintendent Rick Repicky issued a statement, but declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.

“Our first priority continues to be ensuring the safety and well-bring of our students,” he said. “We will cooperate in any way possible to expedite the investigation and to ensure a fair due process for the individuals involved.”

Repicky said the school is providing counseling for any students who may need it.

Boyd has been restricted from working in or being assigned to any Michigan schools pending the outcome of the investigation.

Anyone with information about the incident can call Fraser Public Safety at (586) 294-8904 or the anonymous tip line at (888) 882-8890.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Heidi Roman at hroman@candgnews.com or at (586)218-5006.