COTTAGE GROVE — A Minnesota high school gymnastics coach has been accused of tattooing a teenage girl without her parents’ permission.

Thirty-eight-year-old Terry Robert Hardy is the head gymnastics coach at Park High School in Cottage Grove. A man told Hastings police last week that Hardy had tattooed the man’s juvenile daughter twice without his consent.

Police cited Hardy for two counts of misdemeanor assault.

In a statement, the South Washington County school district says Hardy is on leave pending further investigation. The statement says he also was fired from his post as gymnastics coordinator for a district community education program.

Hardy said he would not comment on “false accusations.”

Hastings City Attorney Dan Fluegel said a court appearance is not scheduled yet.