Man Arrested for Indecent Exposure at Girl's Softball Game

Santa Cruz Police Friday arrested a 44-year-old man with no previous criminal record for masturbating in a car while watching a girls' softball game at DeLaveaga Park.

Charles Joseph Leslie, 44, of Santa Cruz, was allegedly seen performing the act by a group of men's softball players at the park. They confronted him in his maroon Volkswagon Golf and he drove off.

While police were investigating, Leslie called to complain about being confronted by the men. Police asked him to come in and talk about it and he was arrested on suspicion of indecent exposure on a $10,000 warrant.

The maximum penalty, if convicted, is a year in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Because there was no evidence that the girls saw him, he couldn't be charged with the more serious statute of annoying a child.

Deputy Chief Steve Clark said that Leslie defended his actions saying that he thought the girls were interested in him.

"This guy is weird," said Clark. "He's dangerous. He had some really weird sense of what was going on and his rationalization of what he was doing."

Police asked residents to report any contacts they may have had with Leslie and issued a stern warning in a press release: "The police department recommends community members keep a cautious watch for Mr. Leslie should he be released from jail."