By KIMBERLY LEWIS

News Leader Editor

Malvern High School's head varsity wrestling coach was arrested Tuesday morning by Carroll County Sheriff's deputies on sex charges involving a 16-year-old girl.

According to Brown Local School Superintendent Connie Griffin, Mark A. Common, of 1012 Joseph St., Louisville, was called to the superintendent's office where deputies arrested him around 9:30 a.m. She said Common, age 22, was notified at that time he was on paid administrative leave for the remaining two days of school.

Griffin said she was notified about the investigation over the weekend.

The administration sent home letters with all of the students stating: "Allegations have been brought against a staff member involving incidents that did not occur at school. We are cooperating with the authorities and have placed the staff member on paid administrative leave. We want to assure you that at no time was the safety of the students an issue."

Carroll County Sheriff Dale Williams said Common was charged with two counts of sexual battery, a felony of the third degree. At press time, Common was in the Carroll County Jail, awaiting a bond hearing.

Williams said the charges stem from two separate incidents, one allegedly occurring at the girl's home and a second in a rural area in the county.

Common was completing his first year as the varsity wrestling coach and a Title I tutor for the elementary school.

According to Griffin, both positions were automatically non-renewed in April. She noted the district automatically non-renews Title I tutors because the district was uncertain of its federal funding. Title I tutors are paid through federal funding and provide instruction to students having difficulties in classroom concepts and with the Ohio Achievement Test.

"I have already contacted the Ohio Department of Education Office of Misconduct," she said.