Westminster High Athletic Director Pleads No Contest To False Reporting

WESTMINSTER, Colo. (CBS4) - The athletic director at Westminster High School has pleaded no contest to a criminal charge of false reporting and has been sentenced to probation, fines and a conflict management class.

Westminster police charged Tony Streno last April with false reporting for calling police and telling them his boss, principal Pat Sanchez, appeared to be driving drunk and nearly crashed into another car.

Streno did not return two calls this week from CBS4 regarding the no contest plea, which he agreed to in August. In a phone interview last April, Streno told CBS4 "It wasn't malicious and I was put in a position where I had to make a call."

The false reporting charge against Streno emanated from a party the evening of March 18. Westminster High School administrators, including Sanchez, had gone to Dave & Buster's at 10667 Westminster Boulevard to socialize.

Streno did not attend the party, be he said he happened to be driving by the establishment that evening when he thought he saw Sanchez emerge, appearing "very drunk," get into his truck and nearly hit another vehicle in the parking lot. Streno called 911 and provided the narrative, giving a dispatcher Sanchez's license plate number and adding that Sanchez had then gone back inside Dave & Busters.

Police responded and later concluded Sanchez was not drunk, "not intoxicated in any way," wrote police. Witnesses at the party told officers Sanchez never left the building during the party and that Sanchez never appeared drunk in any way.

"This situation was very embarrassing," wrote Sanchez. "It occurred in front of my staff and community members. The person who reported it was trying to damage my career."

Sanchez said there was bad blood between him and Streno because he had told Streno he was going to be terminated at the end of the school year.

Streno has maintained he did nothing wrong.

"I saw him (Sanchez) get in the car ... I thought I saw his car ... somebody pulled out. So I made a call to report a possible DUI," Streno said.

"I was just reporting what I saw or thought I saw," Streno told Westminster police. "In my heart of hearts I believe I was doing the right thing and I erred on the side of caution."

Streno has been on paid leave from his job since March. Steve Saunders, a spokesman for School District 50, tells CBS4 Streno remains on paid administrative leave until there is a resolution to the matter. The district is still being paying Streno his salary of $90,500 a year.

A judge has ordered Streno to spend one year on probation, attend conflict management class and pay fines and costs totaling $420.