West Ada schools employee charged with battery, stalking in latest arrest
A now-former West Ada School District employee was charged with sexual battery and second-degree stalking after he allegedly entered his ex-girlfriend’s home in the middle of the night and grabbed her aggressively.
Garden City police arrested Michael Chatterton on Nov. 27 after responding to a domestic-dispute call just after 2 a.m., according to a probable cause affidavit that police filed in support of Chatterton’s arrest. A woman who identified Chatterton as her ex-boyfriend told police that he entered her home without permission around 1:45 a.m., and she woke to him hovering over her bed.
He then grabbed her, pinned her down and attempted to take off her pants, she told police, according to the affidavit. The woman was able to prevent this.
Chatterton denied the allegations of “sexual touching” but said he went to his ex-girlfriend’s house and “was escorted to a bedroom,” the affidavit said.
Chatterton pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charges. A pretrial conference has been scheduled for Jan. 9.
He had previously been charged with driving under the influence in 2019, but the judge dismissed that charge through a withheld judgment after he completed a year of unsupervised probation and an alcohol education course, according to online court records. He was charged with a DUI again in 2022 and pleaded guilty.
Chatterton also was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic assault/battery in 2007 while coaching at Vallivue High School. He pleaded guilty to disturbing the peace.
The West Ada School District told the Statesman last week that Chatterton was on administrative leave. On Tuesday, the district said Chatterton was no longer with the West Ada School District. The district would not say what his role was, how long he had worked there, when he was placed on administrative leave, or whether the leave was paid or unpaid.
A student/parent handbook from Rebound School of Opportunity from the 2025-26 school year listed Chatterton as a health and physical education teacher. Rebound is an alternative school for at-risk students.
Chatterton joined West Ada in 2015 as the Meridian High boys basketball coach. He held that position for two years.
West Ada spokesperson Michelle Edmonds said all district employees undergo fingerprinting and criminal background checks within five days of their employment, as required under Idaho law. Results are “reviewed on an individual case by case basis,” she said in an email.
This story was originally published December 9, 2025 at 4:00 AM.
