New Jersey teacher allegedly sexually harassed student several times

A high school teacher from New Jersey is accused of sexually harassing a student several times earlier this year – including in his car.

Julie Rizzitello, who resigned from her position as a teacher at Wall High School, was arrested Wednesday and charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault, three counts of sexual abuse and witness tampering, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago and Wall Township Police Chief Sean O’Halloran said in a joint statement.

Rizzitello, 36, and the 18-year-old student had multiple sexual encounters between April and June 14, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by NJ.com.

According to authorities, the couple allegedly engaged in sexual acts in his car in Brick on May 14, and she later sent him nude photos.

According to court documents and prosecutors, Rizzitello and the teenager also had sexual contact in Belmar and Wall and exchanged “numerous” sexual messages.

Rizzitello, of Brick, taught ninth-grade English and SAT prep at Wall High, according to her now-deleted school profile page.

She was hired by Wall Township Public Schools in 2013 and earned a salary of $62,000, according to state pension records.

The former teacher is currently being held at the Monmouth County Jail in Freehold Township as she awaits her detention hearing on Wednesday.

Rizzitello’s arrest came a week after another Monmouth County teacher was charged with sexually abusing a student.

Allison Havemann-Niedrach, 43, a special education teacher at Freehold Intermediate School, was arrested last week and charged with aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.