Coach has Oct. trial date on statutory rape charge in Knoxville
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March 30, 2007
By HANA KIM
Good Morning Tennessee Reporter
KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- A Dyersburg youth pastor and track coach has an October trial date for his statutory rape charge in Knoxville.
Timothy Neal Byars, 44, is accused of raping a 14-year-old girl at Victor Ashe Park in November 2006. The girl was asleep in the back of his SUV before a track meet. Byars was her coach.
Byars was also arrested later on a second sexual battery charge for molesting the girl's sister. He's charged with rape, sexual battery, statutory rape and aggravated statutory rape.
Byars had no comment as he left court Friday morning.
"If we go to trial on our scheduled date in October the plea will be not guilty," said Byars' defense attorney, David Hindman. "We're still evaluating the evidence."
The trial is set to begin on October 8.
In addition to serving as Dyersburg High School track coach, Byars also worked as a minister at Springhill Baptist Church in Dyersburg.
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