COQUILLE — Coos County District Attorney R. Paul Frasier recused his office from prosecuting the sex abuse case against Coquille’s suspended track coach, citing family connections with the defendant.

Prosecutors from the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office will handle the case instead.

Frasier and deputy district attorney Oubonh White attended Wendi Boutiette’s arraignment Wednesday before Judge Martin Stone, and hinted he had a conflict of interest in the case.

He made it official shortly after the hearing.

“Due to the connection of my family with Ms. Boutiette, the appearance of any possible impropriety is too great for my office to continue in this case,” Frasier said in a press release.

Police arrested the 36-year-old Coquille woman Saturday on charges of second-degree sexual abuse, contributing to the sexual delinquency of a minor and sexual misconduct. The charges stem from an incident in 2006 involving a teenage boy who was on the Coquille High School track team. Boutiette’s attorney Wednesday denied she ever had physical contact with the former athlete. Boutiette was an assistant coach at the time and became head coach last year.

Frasier’s wife, Kori Frasier, was the head coach of the track team then, and their children have worked for the Boutiette family and had her as a coach. Other employees in the DA’s office have similar connections with the defendant.

Boutiette’s attorney, David Terry of Roseburg, was critical of the Coos County justice system, though his ire was directed at police rather than the district attorney.

Boutiette arrived in court with her husband, Daniel Boutiette, and the attorney. She wore a pink pin-stripe suit and an expressionless face throughout the proceedings. She didn’t say much either. Aside from answering the judge’s questions about her age and name, Boutiette let her attorney do the talking.

When Stone agreed to release Boutiette from custody on the condition she stay away from minors and places they congregate, Terry spoke up. He explained that Boutiette wants to remain involved in her children’s lives. They agreed on a compromise, allowing Boutiette to go to events with children present as long as she is with an adult and not on Coquille School District property.

She struck the same stoic pose outside the courthouse after the hearing, standing alongside her husband as Terry defended her innocence.

Terry said the teenager came from a poor background and Boutiette took it upon herself to help him, buying him track shoes and offering kindness. But she didn’t take advantage of him, Terry argued. He repeatedly emphasized there was no physical contact whatsoever.

He took to task the Coquille Police Department, singling out police Chief Mark Dannels, suggesting he was too hasty in arresting Boutiette.

“He’d been far better advised to do a thorough investigation,” Terry said.

Dannels said he handled the case like any other investigation and consulted with the DA’s office before arresting Boutiette. He was going to meet with Douglas County officials today to discuss the case.

“There was nothing unordinary about this case except it involves a coach,” he said.

Frasier said Terry’s statements on behalf of his client weren’t unusual either. He said it reminded him of advice a law school professor offered to prospective defense attorneys.

“If the facts are bad for your client, attack the police investigation,” he said.