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The North Port Police Department arrested a North Port High School teacher on Thursday. FL Music Teacher David Sommer Accused of Having a Sexual Relationship with a Student.
David Sommer, 51, is facing several charges connected to the incidents. The Sarasota County School District has placed him on administrative leave while the case moves forward. Sommers is accused of engaging in illegal sexual activity with a minor on multiple occasions.
According to the district, Sommer was hired in August 2017 and has worked exclusively at North Port High School, where he taught music and served as the school's choir teacher.
Authorities have not released additional details about the nature of the alleged crimes or when the underlying conduct began.
North Port Police Chief Todd Garrison addressed the arrest directly, saying the department would not tolerate harm to children in the community.
"The safety of our children is our top priority," Garrison said. "There is no place in our community for anyone who would harm a child. We are committed to supporting anyone affected and holding those responsible accountable."
Police are asking anyone affected by the case to come forward. The department can be reached at 941-429-7300.
Sarasota County Schools Chief of Police Tim Enos said the arrest reflected close cooperation between multiple law enforcement agencies.
"This case is a strong example of the collaboration between our agency, Sarasota County Schools Police Department and surrounding law enforcement partners," Enos said.
Sarasota County Schools Superintendent Terry Connor praised the people who reported the allegations, saying the district acted quickly once it learned of the report and worked closely with North Port police throughout the investigation.
"We are grateful for those who came forward and followed the 'See Something, Say Something' principle," Connor said. "Our responsibility is to protect every student, and we will not compromise on that."
The investigation remains active, with North Port police continuing to work alongside Sarasota County Schools and its police department.
Sommer faces one count of sexual battery on a person between 12 and 18 years old by a person in familial or custodial authority. He also faces three counts of lewd and lascivious behavior, related to allegations of inappropriate touching, along with one count of unlawful use of a two-way communications device.
WINK News obtained a copy of the police report detailing Sommer's relationship with the victim. According to the report, Sommer began texting the student after a summer camp last year. Their conversations reportedly started out ordinary before Sommer asked her to send explicit photos.
The report said the situation escalated earlier this month. On March 11, Sommer touched the student and kissed her multiple times inside the chorus room, according to the report, and continued to touch her inappropriately afterward. The student told her parents what happened later that day, the report said.
Sarasota County Schools police detained Sommer on campus and collected his cellphone as evidence. According to the report, Sommer declined to give a statement to police. Investigators later obtained a warrant and downloaded text exchanges between Sommer and the student, uncovering what the report described as several sexual conversations between the two.
The student went to a nearby hospital with her parents, where a sexual assault testing kit was conducted, the report said. Police also obtained a "body standard" from Sommer at the station.
Two of Sommer's former students told WINK News they noticed what they described as "weird" behavior from the teacher, including instances of him teaching girls separately from the rest of the class.
"I just kind of had, like, a very off kind of feeling about him from the minute that I kind of started talking to him," said Port Charlotte High School senior Annelise Martinelli, who attended North Port High School last year before transferring.
"I'm not really sure what it was," Martinelli said. "I just kind of felt it in my stomach."
North Port High School student Aydan Anderson said Sommer was her teacher last year and recalled him pulling students out of class to speak with them individually, behavior she said made her uncomfortable.
"I don't think that he should be teaching again," Anderson said. "I don't think that he should have all that kind of visibility again."
The case remains under active investigation. Anyone with information or anyone who believes they were affected is urged to contact the North Port Police Department at 941-429-7300.
The factual information above was sourced from winknews.com as of August 19, 2026.
The attorney commentary below is not specifically about the case reported above. Attorney commentary provided is information about these types of cases in the justice system.
Allegations that a teacher had a sexual relationship with a student raise painful questions for families that go well beyond the criminal courtroom. Parents often want to know what recourse is available, who else might be responsible, and how much time they have to act. To walk through those questions, we spoke with Florida sexual abuse attorney Michael Haggard, who has represented families in civil cases against school districts across the state.
Editor Darla Medina: When something like this happens, most people think first about criminal charges. But you handle the civil side. What's the difference in what a family can pursue?
Attorney Michael Haggard: The criminal case is the state versus the accused, and it's about punishment. A civil case is separate. That's where a family can pursue compensation for the harm done to their child, and it can involve not just the individual but the school district itself if the district failed to protect the student.
Medina: Under what circumstances can a school district be held responsible for an employee's conduct?
Haggard: Florida law allows claims against a district for negligent hiring, negligent supervision, or negligent retention. If a district knew or should have known about warning signs and didn't act, or if supervision policies weren't followed, that can open the door to liability separate from whatever the individual employee did.
Medina: Is there a time limit on when a family can bring a civil claim?
Haggard: Florida has extended the statute of limitations significantly in child sexual abuse cases. Depending on when the abuse occurred and the victim's age, families often have many years, sometimes decades, to file. I always tell families not to assume they've missed a window without having it checked by an attorney.
Medina: What would you tell a parent who suspects something is wrong but isn't sure what to do?
Haggard: Document everything, report it to the school and law enforcement, and involve an attorney early. Evidence and witness memory fade quickly, and an early consultation costs a family nothing but can preserve options they'd otherwise lose.
If you or someone you love has lived through a situation like this, you don't have to sort out what comes next by yourself. The Legal Herald can connect you with an experienced attorney who understands these cases, will listen to what happened, and can walk you through the options available to your family. There's no cost and no obligation to find out where you stand. Contact us today to be connected with an experienced attorney for a free, no-obligation consultation.
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