Deputies say former coach on the run--probably with a 15 year old girl
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In a twist, Todd Hazlett accused now, was fired for failing to immediately report another coach for inappropriate conduct with a 15 year old girl. He talked with KGUN9 about soon after his firing. Video by kgun9.com
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In a February interview with KGUN9 News, Hezlitt talked about the case of another school coach fired for inappropriate conduct with a 15 year old girl. Hezlitt was fired too, the Altar Valley School District said, for failing to report the incident right away.
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A video from a Norwegian TV crew shows Hezlitt working with Shawna Forde's border vigilante group. Forde was sentenced to death for a home invasion and murder of a man and his 9 year old daughter. Hezlitt was never charged in that crime.
Reporter: Craig Smith
TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - He was fired from his coaching job at Altar Valley Middle School, after reporting inappropriate texting between a girl and his assistant, but not reporting it quickly enough.
Then he was arrested for something worse---sexual conduct with a minor.
Now deputies say both Todd Hezlitt and a 15 year old girl have disappeared---and are most likely together---but there could be yet another twist to this story.
We first met Todd Hezlett when Altar Valley School District fired him as a wrestling coach and bus driver, on the claim he had failed to immediately report inappropriate contact between another coach and a 15 year old girl.
In a February interview with KGUN9 News he said he simply took the weekend to figure out exactly what do and how to do it.
"My major point was: how do I protect a friend, how do I protect somebody I know from somebody that's doing something, to me, vicious. I did the best thing i could.">
Now Hezlitt is charged with being involved with a different 15 year old girl. Pima County Sheriff's Deputy Tom Peine says Hezlitt's on the run---quite possibly with that girl.
"They both disappeared at the same time and they have this previous relationship."
KGUN9 reporter Craig Smith asked: "How do you begin to try to find people in a situation like this? What sort of bases do you touch in a case like this?"
Deputy Peine: "They will talk to the parents or the guardians, of the victim and try to establish leads from there."
But Hezlitt could be a tough---and maybe a dangerous man to find.
Video, shot by a Norwegian TV crew shows him with an armed border vigilante group once led by Shawna Forde. She's now sentenced to death for the home invasion and murder of a man and his 9 year old daughter.
Hezlett was never connected to the killings.
In the video he explained why he was involved with the group.
He said:"For myself it's for the drug smuggling that's coming here and it is also for the possible terrorists that are coming up as well."
We also found a reference to him owning a company he called The Agency---billed as a private military contractor offering services like weapons and personal defense training and psychological warfare.
We did talk to a man who knows Hezlett. He did not want to appear on camera but says he feels the changes against Hezlett are basically a bum rap.
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