A lawsuit filed against the Okemos School District and wrestling coach Clint Guess alleges that a 94-pound female student was directed to spar with a much larger male teammate in December 2024, was body-slammed repeatedly, and suffered a Stage 4 liver laceration that went untreated at the school. The complaint, filed August 11, 2025, in Ingham County Circuit Court, claims gross negligence and demands a jury trial.1Lansing State Journal. Okemos Female Wrestler Injuries Lawsuit
What Happened at Practice
On December 12, 2024, at a wrestling practice at Okemos High School, a student identified in filings as R.D. was told by Coach Guess to spar with a male teammate three weight classes above her. The lawsuit says several wrestlers in R.D.’s own weight class were absent that day and the coach told her the larger partner was her only option if she wanted to participate.2Fox 47 News. Okemos Wrestling Coach, District Charged With Negligence After Student Suffers Severe Liver Injury
According to the complaint, the male wrestler had a known history of injuring other students. He allegedly body-slammed R.D. multiple times during the session. Guess is said to have told him to “settle down” and “get control of your moves” but let the sparring go on.3WLNS. “My Ribs Moved to My Stomach” — Lawsuit Says Okemos Practice Seriously Injured Teen Wrestler
The Injuries and the Delay in Care
After practice, R.D. was in intense pain, vomiting, and struggling to breathe. The lawsuit alleges that neither Guess nor athletic trainer Rachel Weiss called 911. Weiss, per the complaint, was only alerted after another student saw how bad things were, then called R.D.’s father without telling him to go to a hospital.3WLNS. “My Ribs Moved to My Stomach” — Lawsuit Says Okemos Practice Seriously Injured Teen Wrestler
Her father drove her to Sparrow Hospital, where a CT scan showed a Stage 5 hematoma. Trauma center testing then confirmed a Stage 4 liver laceration with internal bleeding. R.D. spent four days in the pediatric ICU at University of Michigan–Sparrow Hospital.1Lansing State Journal. Okemos Female Wrestler Injuries Lawsuit The trauma team told the family her injuries were the kind seen in car crash victims and that any further delay could have been fatal. The suit says she continues to suffer chronic pain, impaired liver function, and a heightened long-term risk of liver disease.4WILX. High School Girl Sues Okemos School District After Suffering Severe Injuries During Wrestling Practice
What the Lawsuit Claims
The complaint names Okemos Public Schools and Coach Clint Guess as defendants. It alleges gross negligence in the decision to pair R.D. with a much larger, known-dangerous partner, in letting the sparring continue after she was visibly in trouble, and in the failure to get her any medical care afterward.3WLNS. “My Ribs Moved to My Stomach” — Lawsuit Says Okemos Practice Seriously Injured Teen Wrestler
The suit also raises broader accusations. R.D.’s attorney, Jamie White, has alleged that the district maintains a dangerous environment for female athletes, subjects them to unsafe conditions, withholds medical care, and retaliates against those who assert their rights.1Lansing State Journal. Okemos Female Wrestler Injuries Lawsuit Damages sought include medical expenses, lost educational and athletic opportunities, and the elevated risk of future liver disease.
Why the Gross Negligence Standard Matters
Michigan’s Governmental Tort Liability Act generally shields public school employees from personal liability for injuries that happen in the course of their duties. That immunity drops away when the employee’s conduct amounts to gross negligence, which the statute defines as “conduct so reckless as to demonstrate a substantial lack of concern for whether an injury results.”5Michigan Legislature. MCL 691.1407 — Governmental Immunity The plaintiffs’ theory is built to fit that exception: ordinary carelessness would not clear the bar, so the complaint frames the pairing decision, the failure to stop the match, and the absence of any 911 call as reckless rather than merely negligent.
Calls to Fire District Staff
Attorney Jamie White has publicly called for the firing of athletic director Ken Hintze, the school principal, and the athletic trainers involved in the incident.6WLNS. Prosecutor Calls for Firing of Okemos Athletic Director in School Wrestling Injury Case Available reporting does not show that the district has disciplined Hintze, Guess, the principal, or any athletic trainer.
Where the Case Stands
Okemos Public Schools has declined to comment, citing a policy against discussing pending litigation.6WLNS. Prosecutor Calls for Firing of Okemos Athletic Director in School Wrestling Injury Case Guess has not responded publicly. No rulings, motions, or settlement discussions have been reported. As of late August 2025, the case is in its early stages in Ingham County Circuit Court.