Ballwin Man Allegedly Assaulted by Rockwood Club Coach

A  volleyball coach in Eureka was charged with third-degree assault for allegedly attacking Ballwin resident Steven Nodiff, the father of a former player, according to police reports.

The coach, Shane L. Allen of Eureka, works with the Rockwood Thunder Club Volleyball program. Allen is expected to have a court date in May, according to Eureka's prosecuting attorney.

According to police reports, Allen assaulted Nordif at 7:44 p.m. on March 5 at QuikTrip located at 290 E. Fourth Street in Eureka.

Nodiff received cuts near the left side of his face and initial, unconfirmed reports of fractures in the left eye and cheek area after Allen struck him while he walked through the store's doorway to the parking lot.

Nodiff was taken by ambulance drivers to St. John's Mercy Medical Center in Creve Coeur for treatment.

Factors that led to the Altercation

At the time, officers located Allen shortly after the incident, Allen advised officers he "currently is the volleyball coach at and was involved in a sexual affair with the mother of one of his players," who was identified as Seana Nodiff in the police report.

Allen, 38, told police officers the affair had ended nearly a year ago, and as a result, the student player was no longer affiliated with his team. According to Allen's statements in the police report, Steven Nodiff had been texting him on his cell phone and posting threatening and degrading comments on his Facebook page.

Allen said in the report that his cell phone is the property of , however, he did not bring the comments to the attention of school officials or police.

The police report indicates Allen did nothing to avoid contact with Nodiff, such as changing telephone numbers or blocking incoming calls from him.

Kathy Butler, Eureka's prosecuting attorney, said Allen also now faces charges of falsifying a police report because he inaccurately declared that he worked for the Rockwood School District, and that the phone was the district's property. Rockwood Thunder coach positions are, in essence, volunteer positions, with compensation resulting from the team's revenue paying only for the travel expenses of coaches when attending out-of-town tournaments.

"There's usually only one reason to hide or falsify information to police, and that's for the hope of preferential treatment," Butler said.

Allen also stated in the police report that Nodiff had made verbal, derogatory and threatening statements to his friends.

A Triangle Resurfaces

While taking the statements from Allen, Officer Craig Vaughn indicated he learned that Seana Nodiff was present on the police department's parking lot. Police then interviewed her.

Seana had phoned the just prior to the QuikTrip incident and, according to the police report, "advised that Steven Nodiff was intoxicated and in the area looking for Allen." But the information was not specific enough nor received by police in time to avert the confrontation.

Seana admitted to police to having an extra-marital affair with Allen, and said she and Steven Nodiff were separated.  She also told police Steven had "forbade her from speaking" to Allen and that if it happened again, Allen would no longer be "sucking air."

Seana stated that at a volleyball tournament on March 5, Steven told her that Allen was "going to be sorry for talking to her." Shortly after, the police report stated Steven posted several insulting messages about Allen, and asked Allen to meet him in Eureka.

On March 6, when officer Vaughn phoned Nodiff, he indicated that as a result of the altercation, he had sustained multiple injuries, including a broken left orbital (a cavity that opens into the midline of the face and points back into the head to protect the eye from mechanical injury); a concussion; a laceration to the left temple area; and hearing loss in the right ear.

The case was submitted to the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, but returned to the city of Eureka, due to discrepancies in the documentation of the extent of Nodiff's injuries. Butler said Allen was not charged with second-degree assault because he did not use a weapon.

Nodiff Said He Will Pursue Legal Action

"I feel like I've been kept out of the legal loop with what happened this past month with this situation," said Nodiff. "Some facts don't appear to have been properly presented to the county prosecutor, and I was told that they didn't think my injuries were serious enough."

However, Nodiff said the attack was captured on video by QuikTrip's security camera: "The tape shows it all was actually pretty bad."

Nodiff, 42, said he wanted Allen to leave his family alone, especially after interfering with his wife and compromising his daughter's position on a volleyball team that she cherished. He said he thought it was best that night to meet Allen face-to-face to talk about the situation, rather than to continue to communicate electronically.

The Nodiffs have three children. Allen coached their daughter during the 2010 volleyball season.

"Allen kept telling me at various times during all this that he wished he could 'take it all back,' but he just kept doing the wrong things over and over," said Nodiff.

"I have a lot of decisions to make. I think this definitely should have been second-degree assault," said Nodiff. "Additionally, Allen has put our whole family in a downward spiral."

Nodiff said he wonders why Allen is still coaching when all volunteers are required to go through background checks, referencing that he believed there were prior convictions against Allen.

What Next?

Nodiff said he sustained injuries to his nasal cavity from the attack and that as of last Tuesday, he was still coughing up and spitting "tar-like blood." He also said he has to decide whether to eventually get reconstructive surgery to correct the facial damage, and he also has a chipped tooth.

He said the lacerations required stitches and that his balance is now impaired.

In a written letter to the Eureka Police Department, Nodiff concluded:  "I definitely want to press charges against Mr. Allen for felony assault."