Police Blotter: Man Guarding Giant Santa Unnerves Neighbor

Ever watch The Twilight Zone? You kind of expect Rod Serling to pop up somewhere to set up this unusual story.

A woman in Coto de Caza was concerned about a man who was peering over a fence into the backyard of her home late Thursday afternoon. The man, who was in her neighbor's yard, was watching her children play, according to the woman. When she questioned him, he began putting items into a black bag and ignored her.

The man said he was a security guard, hired to guard a giant Santa Claus in the neighbor's yard.

The call came in around 5 p.m. on Thursday, from Thurston Drive.

'Creepy pimp' pulls knife on teens at the bus stop

A Coto de Caza teen said a man drove his black Cadillac up to the bus stop where he and his friends were waiting early Wednesday morning, pulling a knife on them while yelling. The man, who wore a white bandanna on his head, looked like a "creepy pimp," according to the informant. The suspect left the scene before deputies arrived.

Deputies were unable to locate the man or his vehicle.

The call came in around 9 a.m. on Wednesday, from San Miguel and Vista del Verde.

Driver tries to assault man with baseball bat

A Rancho Santa Margarita man said another man, who was driving a Cadillac SUV, got out of his vehicle and attempted to hit him with a baseball bat early Wednesday evening. The man described the assailant as having black hair and wearing a black t-shirt, who drove the SUV along with a passenger—a man with shaggy blond hair.

The vehicle and its occupants had left when deputies arrived.

The call came in around 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, from Rosa.

The following is a summary report of calls from Rancho Santa Margarita, Coto de Caza, Trabuco Canyon and Las Flores to the Orange County Sheriff's Department from December 13 to December 15.

Drunken Driving 10:44 p.m. Thursday, on Santa Margarita Parkway and Alicia Parkway. A caller said a green Range Rover was swerving all over the road, straddling lanes. The caller followed the driver, who nearly collided into several vehicles before pulling into the Target parking lot. Deputies determined that the driver was not intoxicated, and gave several verbal warnings.

Disturbance 9:22 p.m. Thursday, 29800 block of Aventura. Two men were brawling in the bar area of the Daily Sports Grill and refused to leave, according to an employee. One of the men left before deputies arrived, but they were able to detain the other suspect, a 26-year-old man. He was arrested and is being held on $500 bail at the Central Mens Jail.

Non-Cohabitant Domestic Violence 9:57 a.m. Thursday, on Via Terracaleta. A woman was grabbed by the throat and thrown to the ground by her soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend, after visiting his home to retrieve some of her property.

Assist Outside Agency 9:52 a.m. Thursday, 22400 block of Alma Aldea. The Orange County Fire Authority needed assistance with a 50-year-old man who was mumbling while shaking on the floor. The man appeared to be having a seizure.

Citizen Assist 9:26 a.m. Thursday, on Via Prado. A man said someone had sent suspicious photographs to his wife's phone accidentally, and he thought they contained child pornography. The man had deleted the photos, but still wanted to speak to a deputy about them.

Traffic Hazard 9:19 a.m. Thursday, on Avenida de las Banderas and Camino Altozano. A caller said all four signals at an intersection were green at the same time.

Vandalism in Progress 12:03 a.m. Thursday, 21300 block of Cozy Glen Road. A man said someone had just vandalized his Christmas decorations.

Disturbance 10:00 p.m. Wednesday, on Tierra Seguro. A caller said a man and a woman threatened him after he approached their vehicle.

Welfare Check 9:03 p.m. Wednesday, on San Simon. A woman said her 16-year-old son, who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder, was swinging at his father with a mallet, saying that he wanted to kill him. Both the son and father hid in their rooms after the incident, refusing to open their doors. Deputies transported the youth to Mission Hospital, where he admitted himself for treatment.

Disturbance 6:07 p.m. Wednesday, on Santa Margarita Parkway and Antonio Parkway. A caller said three youths were throwing water balloons at passing vehicles.

General Broadcast 5:26 p.m. Wednesday, on Santa Margarita Parkway and the 241 Toll Road. A caller said a white Civic was swerving all over the road, almost hitting the center divider.

Traffic Hazard 1:19 p.m. Wednesday, on Antonio Parkway and Avenida de las Banderas. A caller said someone had left a few large carpets in the street.

Disturbance 3:34 a.m. Wednesday, on Via Amistosa. A caller said a man kept pounding on his door, trying to get inside his apartment. The man has a history of doing this, according to the informant, who called back 20 minutes later, stating that he was still on his porch. Deputies arrived and arrested a 50-year-old man, who was released after posting bond from the Central Mens Jail.

Disturbance 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, on Muirfield. A woman said her houseguest, who has been in her home for more than 45 days, was refusing to leave.

Citizen Assist 12:27 p.m. Tuesday, on Bell Canyon Road. A woman said she thought her bank had illegally changed the locks on her residence.

Under the Influence of Drugs 10:37 a.m. Tuesday, on Tesoro Creek Road. A woman from the Tesoro High School principal’s office said a student was under the influence of marijuana, and had several bags of cannabis in his possession.

General Broadcast 8:23 a.m. Tuesday, on Plano Trabuco Road and Robinson Ranch Road. A caller saw a man cut several people off as he drove erratically in his Jeep Wrangler. According to the informant, the man had a small child with him in the vehicle.

You can read about more incidents on the Orange County Sheriff's Department blotter.