Suspected OCTA Bus Flasher Behind Bars

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — At least three women reported being "flashed" while riding Orange County Transit Authority buses, recently. On Thursday, a 48-year-old Costa Mesa man was behind bars on charges of exposing himself.

Three women, including a teenager, suffered the indignity of being "flashed" while riding OCTA buses across the county, and authorities suspect there may be additional victims.

Carlos Alberto Tirado, who is charged with three misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure and a single misdemeanor count of child annoyance, was arrested June 29 and is being held in lieu of $35,000 bail, according to Orange County Jail records. He's next due in court July 13 for a pretrial hearing.

About 1:30 p.m. on June 19, Orange County sheriff's deputies responded to a report that the suspect was exposing and touching himself on a bus near Highland and Bristol streets in Santa Ana while sitting near a 16-year-old girl, according to Carrie Braun of the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

A sheriff's investigator reviewing bus surveillance footage recognized Tirado was a suspect arrested Feb. 20 for a similar flashing incident on an OCTA bus in Anaheim, Braun said. In that case, he allegedly exposed himself to a 22-year-old woman aboard a bus near State college Boulevard and La Palma Avenue, she said.

He was arrested March 17 on suspicion of indecent exposure, but he bailed out of jail and was awaiting a court date at the time of the alleged June 29 crime, Braun said.

Tirado is also accused of exposing and touching himself last Dec. 10 while making eye contact with a 22-year-old woman on an OCTA bus in Anaheim, she said.

Sheriff's investigators asked anyone with information to call deputies at (714) 265-4340. Orange County Crime Stoppers accepts anonymous tips at (855) TIP-OCCS.

Renee Schiavone Photo