Detectives Track Down Man Who Dressed as a Woman

LOMA LINDA – San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies are still investigating a man who was arrested on Friday after he gained access to female dormitory at Loma Linda University earlier this month while dressed as a woman. In trying to escape, he also struck a campus security guard, who suffered minor injuries.

Rodney Kenneth Petersen

On Monday, police said they had arrested Rodney Kenneth Petersen, 46, at his Corona apartment on South Smith Avenue. Peterson was released from custody later that day. Police said that Petersen had tried several times to gain entrance to a student-only area, but was confronted by staff members. Reports said that he quickly left the area. When university security officers converged, Petersen ran over one officer with his car.

Using a cell phone camera he had hidden in his purse, Petersen, reportedly wearing a dark colored wig and women’s clothing, attempted to photograph unsuspecting coeds on June 4. He had tried to enter the women’s dorm at LLU, but was intercepted by school officials and security.

During their investigation, detectives uncovered allegation that he tried to enter other female-only facilities in Rancho Cucamonga and Yucaipa, said Sgt. Ed Finneran. Both times, it was reported, he was disguised as a woman. His arrest included charges of suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon by deputies, who took him to Central Detention Center in San Bernardino. He posted $50,000 bail Saturday.

Ladies - your new roommate is here! (Artist's interpretation only.)

Deputies were initially contacted at 2:37 p.m. on June 4 when reports of Petersen’s entrance into the women’s dormitory had surfaced. Piecing together information, including the license plate number on the vehicle that struck the security officer, investigators were eventually able to locate Peterson.

Finneran, who is working on the case along with Det. Jose Ruiz, said the portions at LLU were accessible only to students. The investigation is continuing, he said.
Authorities said on Monday that no court date had yet been set.

Read More:

Daily News: Crossdressing Corona man arrested for allegedly running over guard

LA Times: Man dressed as woman tried to take pictures in dorm, police say

NBC Southern California: Confronted Cross-Dresser Accused of Driving Into Campus Security Guard