E Bay Man Arrested, Accused Of Peninsula Indecent Exposure: Cops

PALO ALTO, CA — Police arrested a 36-year-old Oakland man on suspicion of indecent exposure upon being accused of masturbating in public in downtown Palo Alto at the corner of University Avenue and Bryant Street on Wednesday night, the department announced Thursday.

The 9:45 p.m. incident to dispatch that indicated a caller said he had observed a man standing at the intersection with his pants down around his ankles. According to the report, the suspect was openly masturbating in a busy and populated public area. Police contacted the suspect identified as Reginald Tyrone Barnett and booked him into the Santa Clara County Main Jail.

Barnett is currently on active court probation out of Alameda County for vandalism.

He's also being accused of attempted sexual battery from a different case and time involving an incident three blocks away from Wednesday’s incident. In that case, a female victim in her 20s reported she was walking north on Waverley Street near Lytton Avenue when Barnett ran toward her and bent down telling her he wanted to kiss her buttocks. Barnett chased the victim and made a second attempt to kiss her, but she was able to get away unharmed.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the dispatch center at 650-329-2413. Anonymous tips may also be emailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voicemail to 650-383-8984. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the free mobile app, downloadable at www.bit.ly/PAPD-AppStore or www.bit.ly/PAPD-GooglePlay.