Grosse Pointe South varsity hockey coach Benjamin Warda has been charged with third-degree criminal sexual conduct after prosecutors say a person was sexually assaulted on his boat while it was docked at a St. Clair Shores marina. Prosecutors allege the incident happened on June 13, and Warda was arraigned earlier this week. In addition to coaching at Grosse Pointe South, Warda runs Detroit Premier Hockey and works with youth teams in the area.
The Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office, as reported by ClickOnDetroit, said Warda, 38, was arraigned on July 1 and released on a $50,000 bond. He is scheduled to return to court on July 14 for a probable cause conference, the next procedural step in the case.
Warda has been a visible figure in local hockey circles. He has run Detroit Premier Hockey and served as head coach for Grosse Pointe South's varsity team as well as for a Detroit Bulldogs 9U youth squad, according to local reporting. The Grosse Pointe Times recently profiled his plans to open a youth training facility in Grosse Pointe Woods and described him as a former professional player turned coach. Those ties mean the criminal case is echoing through both the high school program and youth hockey community.
What the charge means
Under Michigan law, third-degree criminal sexual conduct applies when sexual penetration occurs under certain circumstances, including the use of force or coercion, or when a victim is physically helpless. It is a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The statute that defines the offense, MCL 750.520d, sets the maximum penalty and spells out the elements prosecutors must prove in court, according to Michigan law.
Next steps and district rules
Warda is slated to appear at a probable cause conference on July 14 as the case moves through the local court system. ClickOnDetroit reported that the outlet reached out to Grosse Pointe South High School for comment.
The Grosse Pointe Public School System's extracurricular code of conduct outlines behavior expectations and disciplinary authority for coaches and other staff. Those policies could guide any internal district review related to the criminal case. Details of those rules are available in the district’s published code of conduct: GPPSS Code of Conduct.
