Deputies Nab Soquel High Burglary Suspects

Deputies arrested two men Wednesday after a janitor interrupted the pair burglarizing the school's computer lab, the Sheriff's Office reported Friday. 

Jeffrey David Price, a 27-year-old homeless man and Forrest Brownton, 29, of Ben Lomond allegedly forced open the door to the computer center and were getting equipment ready to steal when the janitor noticed them and called 911. 

Price and Brownton fled toward the back of campus, on Soquel-San Jose Road, but were caught by  deputies in the parking lot of Lighthouse Church in downtown Soquel. They were close to getting away in a 1994 Toyota Corolla registered to Price's AKA, the Sheriff's Office reported.

Brownton's backpack and a stolen gas credit card were in the car, deputies reported.

Things got interesting when Brownton, who had a baggie of suspected methadone and Klonapin in his pants, tried to destroy the drugs by eating them. Medical personnel had to be called for him.

Price allegedly had a needle loaded with cocaine, but he didn't try to destroy it like his accomplice.

Deputies later found the key to the Corolla in the broken-into computer lab, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Both Brownton and Price were arrested on suspicion of burglary and drug charges. Nothing was actually taken from the school. Also, the Sheriff's Office pointed out there is no indication this burglary is related to