Parolee-at-Large Arrested After Attempted Drug Sale in Soquel

A man was arrested outside of Panda Express on 41st Avenue in Soquel on Thursday at 10:28 a.m. after he attempted to sell drugs to employees at Benjamin Moore Paints.

The man, identified by the Santa Cruz Sheriff's Office as Rodney Lee Bigler, 54, of Inglewood, entered the bathroom of the store before approaching the counter to ask employees if they wanted to buy marijuana, according to store employee Tom King.

Sheriffs chased Bigler, who was hiding in a small shack next to the paint store, across 41st Avenue to the parking lot where he was handcuffed and placed into custody.

The shack where Bigler hid, King said, is a haven for homeless people and drug users.

According to the Sheriff's Deputy April Skalland, after being apprehended, Bigler provided the false name Jason Teal to authorities to avoid being identified as a parolee-at-large. 

After arriving at the Santa Cruz County Jail, sheriffs found Bigler's California identification card and correctly booked him under his legal name.

Bigler is being charged with possession of marijuana for sale, obstruction of a police officer, false identification and violation of parole. He is currently being held on $15,000 bail.