Woman accuses principal of Whittier Elementary in Ballard of exposing himself

A Ballard elementary-school principal who has been placed on leave is accused of exposing himself to a woman in a car while driving in the Northgate area, according to a Seattle police report.

Alexander Coberly, principal at Whittier Elementary, was charged last week with a misdemeanor by the Seattle city attorney's office. Coberly has been on administrative leave since Dec. 7, after Seattle School District officials were informed by police of their investigation.

Parents were told about the basic nature of the alleged offense in a letter the district sent last week. Before that, they had been told simply that Coberly's leave had nothing to do with any students.

According to the police report, a woman called 911 on Nov. 5 to report that a man had exposed himself to her while she was riding in a car with a friend near Aurora Avenue North and North 100th Street. The woman told police that the man fondled and exposed himself while his vehicle was idling in traffic next to the car in which the women were riding.

The two women noted the car's license-plate number, which police later traced to Coberly, 33, and his wife, the report states.

In Washington state, indecent exposure qualifies as a misdemeanor if the victim is at least 14 years old and the accused has not been previously convicted for indecent exposure or a sex offense. It is punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Coberly's attorney, David Vogel, said Monday he hadn't seen the police report and wasn't sure whether they would fight the charges, although he said it is customary to plead not guilty immediately after being charged.

"I do want to note, though, that the charges are not in any way related to his work as a teacher, as a principal. There are no minors involved in the allegations, and from all accounts I've heard he's a very good principal," Vogel said.

Coberly is in his fifth year as Whittier principal. He joined the district in 1998 as a substitute teacher and previously worked at Thurgood Marshall Elementary.

The school district has said it does not want to discuss details of the allegations.

Natalie Singer: 206-464-2704.