By JEN NOWELL
Daily Post Staff Writer
A guard who was hired to watch the train tracks in Palo Alto to prevent suicides was arrested yesterday after he was previously caught by an officer in his car behaving lewdly while on a break from work, according to police.
An officer confronted Luke Ryan Sauer, 35, of San Carlos, at 6:45 p.m. Feb. 21, while he was slumped over inside his car parked in the 4000 block of Park Boulevard, police said. The offi-cer stopped to check on Sauer and saw that he was a uniformed Track Watch security guard talking on his cellphone while on his break.
Although the officer didn’t witness any lewd act, he believed Sauer had been pleasuring himself, according to police. A report was submitted to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office for review.
The following morning, police contacted Sauer’s employer, Cypress Security. Cypress immediately suspended Sauer and ensured he did not work another shift in Palo Alto as part of the Track Watch contract, police said.
On March 9, the district attorney’s office filed one misdemeanor count of lewd conduct. Police obtained an arrest warrant, and Sauer was arrested yesterday at 6:20 p.m. on James Avenue in Redwood City.
Suicide prevention
After a series of teen suicides in 2009 and 2010, the city started a program called “Track Watch” in which private security guards watch the Caltrain crossings.
This incident comes after the city hired a new contractor, Cypress Security, in November to replace the previous contractor, Val Security, after problems arose. It came out later that three guards working for Val were arrested — one for burglarizing three homes in town.
The city initially decided to go with a new contractor in April, after problems arose with Val, including guards talking on their cellphones during their shifts, city officials said. The city also said they lacked a professional appearance and behavior.
Burglaries and drugs
Brett Warren LeBraugh Scott, 33, of Sunnyvale, was cited in Mountain View on June 28 for possession of meth and drug paraphernalia. Scott was contacted by police while working at the Churchill Avenue train crossing Oct. 8, after police received a report of a disturbance. Police learned he had a warrant out for his arrest stemming from the June incident, and he was issued a new court date and released.
James Chester Broughton, 21, transient, was arrested Oct. 27 after he allegedly burglarized three Palo Alto homes. At least one of these burglaries occurred while he was on the clock. Police later connected Broughton to a street robbery that occurred Oct. 14 in Palo Alto.
Broughton pleaded no contest Jan. 26 to two counts of residential burglary, one count of assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury and petty theft, according to the district attorney’s office. He could get up to 13 years and eight months in prison.
And Kenneth Lee White, 32, of San Jose, was working Nov. 5 when he was contacted by police at the Charleston Road train crossing for a misdemeanor warrant for petty theft. He was issued a new court date and released.