SAN ANTONIO – Two female athletes who said a Boerne gymnastics and summer camp coach sexually abused them while they attended his program have filed a lawsuit against him.
A news release from the Simpson Tuegel Law Firm states that the victims pursued legal action against Michael Spiller, 74, who was arrested on Nov. 18 on charges of indecency with a child.
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The law firm states that two female victims “described sexual abuse and inappropriate conduct at the hands” of Spiller, and more lawsuits are expected.
“These athletes and their families will fully cooperate with law enforcement, and hope to see the abuser and all of the adults and entities who failed to protect children held accountable, from top to bottom,” Simpson Tuegel said in the news release. “They support the other victims, stand with them, and encourage others who have experienced the same to come forward and report it. Even if it was a long time ago, your experience matters and provides context and information regarding exactly what others in the sport knew about this coach and failed to take action on.”
Boerne police said that a victim came forward in October and said she was abused around 2001-2002 during the “Circus Arts for Kids” program at the Boerne Gymnastics Center, according to police. She was either 12 or 13 years old, police said.
She said that during the camp, Spiller would transport the group of kids from the center to a bed and breakfast. She said that he exposed himself on two occasions during the bus rides, and he would point the rear-view mirror in a downward position to expose his genitals, according to police.
She told him that she could see his genitals and told him to stop, but he did not, police said.
Spiller turned himself in to the police on Nov. 18 and posted bond on Tuesday. He was subsequently arrested for a second warrant of indecency with a child. Records show he remains in the Kendall County Jail.
Police have asked for additional victims to come forward. According to investigators, Spiller likely coached at Boerne Gymnastics Center until May this year.
The law firm states that the center notified its members of the allegations on Tuesday. In the email sent to members, the owner said she filed a report about Spiller in April.
“But if that’s true why wasn’t this email sent to every member of the gym back in April as well? To me, this is just the most recent indication of a troubling lack of transparency that may have put children at continuing risk,” Simpson Tuegel said in the news release.
Michelle Simpson Tuegel previously represented Olympic gymnasts in a lawsuit against USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic Committee in the Larry Nassar sex-abuse scandal.
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