Former Evergreen teacher’s voyeurism trial continues

Witness testimony will continue Monday in the trial of a former Evergreen High School teacher accused of trying to take photos and video up the dresses of females, including girls in his class, with his cellphone.

Matthew Morasch faces one count of voyeurism and two counts of attempted voyeurism for allegedly shooting images of a 14-year-old girl in his class, an unidentified female student and an unidentified female at the Battle Ground Goodwill store in April and June 2015. His trial began Tuesday in Clark County Superior Court.

The prosecution intends to wrap up its case Monday morning, and the defense will then present its case.

Morasch was in his 10th year of teaching freshman science at the time of the alleged crimes. He was placed on leave as police began investigating. Morasch resigned from the school district last year and did not teach during the 2016-17 school year, according to district spokeswoman Gail Spolar.

Deputy Prosecutor Luka Vitasovic told jurors Tuesday that several students saw what they believed to be Morasch filming the lower half of another student who was seated at a classroom table. The girl was reportedly wearing a dress. One of the students took a photo of Morasch while he recorded the girl from under the table, Vitasovic said.

Although no image related to that incident was recovered from Morasch’s phone, investigators did find a photo and video taken of two different females in April 2015. One photo was of a student in Morasch’s classroom and the other of a female shopping in the Goodwill, court records state.

Morasch’s defense attorney, Alan Harvey, argued that Morasch often carried his phone in class and that students had access to it — they would take selfies and photos with him. Harvey also said it’s possible Morasch accidentally bumped the phone, activating its camera.