Watch CBS News

Mother Of Deceased Panorama High School Football Player Blames Coach

PANORAMA CITY (CBS) — The mother of a Panorama High School student who died after reportedly drinking heavily at a party expressed frustration over a failure to intervene by the boy's football coach.

Salvador Preciado, 17, was found dead on the floor of Jose Martinez' home Saturday morning after apparently choking on his own vomit.

"One little mistake ruined everything," said Martinez.

The teen who hosted the party at another location spoke to CBS2 over the weekend.

Salvador Preciado
Friends and family held a vigil Saturday for standout athlete Salvador Preciado. (credit: CBS)

"We threw this party for my friend's birthday. Everyone brought their own drinks, and everything just got out of control," the teen said. "Everyone was drinking a lot, but [Preciado] was drinking too much, like he didn't have self-control. After he passed away, I heard it was his first time drinking."

Preciado's friends report he fell off a table and hit his head.

Martinez says he called Panorama High School's assistant football coach Brian Molina and asked the coach to take Preciado to Martinez' house.

"Coach didn't do nothing," said Preciado's mom, Irma Guevara. "He just took him to Jose's house and just dropped him off there. When he knew he had already passed out, and he knew he had a lot to drink, and he had injured his head."

Terrance Jakubowski, the school's assistant principal says the LAUSD and LAPD are investigating Molina's involvement.

"Sometimes actions do have very serious negative implications," said Jakubowski. "And we want people to understand."

Jakubowski says Molina is an off-season football coach and not currently on the school's payroll.

The LA County Coroner's Office says an autopsy is pending a toxicology report. It could take six to eight weeks to determine a cause of death.

 

 

 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.