Man Leaving Police Station Arrested Again, Accused of Vandalizing Police Station

A man released from a South Bay police station on his own recognizance Thursday after being arrested on a minor drug charge wound up back in custody about 12 hours later for allegedly defacing the building on his way out.

Jason Rodriguez, 33, was taken into custody Wednesday on a narcotics violation charge and transported to Chula Vista Police Department headquarters for processing, CVPD Capt. Gary Wedge said.

After officers completed Rodriguez's arrest procedures, they released him on his written promise to appear in court, as is standard in such cases and walked out of the station Thursday morning, according to Wedge.

About 5:30 a.m., a custodian discovered that someone etched the letters "AROX" in a glass lobby door of the station house. Police then reviewed security video and determined that Rodriguez allegedly had committed the vandalism–causing more than $2,000 worth of damage–immediately upon his release, the captain said.

Detectives arrested Rodriguez later in the day around 1:30 p.m. at his home.

The suspect was being held in San Diego Central Jail on $10,000 bail, with arraignment scheduled for Monday afternoon.

The meaning of the word scratched into the window was unclear.

–City News Service