FORMER OCC STUDENT FACES ADDITIONAL CHARGES FOR VANDALIZING CAMPUS SAFETY VEHICLES AND VIOLATING PROTECTIVE ORDER TO STAY AWAY FROM CAMPUS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Case # 17WF1373

Date: June 6, 2017

FORMER OCC STUDENT FACES ADDITIONAL CHARGES FOR VANDALIZING CAMPUS SAFETY VEHICLES AND VIOLATING PROTECTIVE ORDER TO STAY AWAY FROM CAMPUS

WESTMINSTER, Calif. – A former Orange Coast College (OCC) student was charged with additional counts yesterday for vandalizing two campus safety vehicles and violating a protective order to stay away from the school campus.

Defendant Charges Court Date
Robert Bouton McDougal, 21, Costa Mesa Charged on March 29, 2017 with one misdemeanor count of:

  • Disturbing the peace on school campus

Charged on June 5, 2017, in an amended complaint with the following counts:

Felony

  • Vandalism – Damage $400 or more

Misdemeanor

  • Disturbing public school
  • Remaining on campus without consent
  • (2) Resisting and obstructing an officer
  • (5) Violating a protective order
Pre-trial hearing

  • June 20, 2017
  • Department W-15, West Justice Center, Westminster
  • Maximum Sentence: Three years in state prison and seven years in county jail

Circumstances of the Case

  • On Feb. 27, 2017, McDougal is accused of disturbing a public school after running into his former professor’s classroom and shouting a racial slur at the campus security officer who subdued him.
  • Shortly after the incident, McDougal was suspended from OCC for two years.
  • Additionally, McDougal was ordered by a court to stay away from the OCC campus and have no contact with his former professor.
  • The defendant is accused of returning to OCC campus several times between on April 21, 2017, and May 25, 2017, in violation the protective orders against him.
  • On March 7, 2017, McDougal is accused of remaining on campus without consent, and resisting and obstructing an officer when being removed from the campus.
  • On or about March 13, 2017, McDougal is accused of vandalizing two campus safety vehicles with obscenities, including a swastika and racial slur, and slashing their tires.
  • An OCC campus security officer approached the defendant, who then fled the scene.
  • Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) was notified of the vandalism and arrested McDougal at his home later that day.

At this time, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) is not filing any hate crime charges in this case. Hate crime charges are specific intent crimes that require proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant’s actions were substantially motivated by his or her bias; this requirement was not met due to insufficient evidence in this case.