Suspect in Indecent Exposure Case Extradited, Held in O.C.

Ending a three-month search, the California Highway Patrol said Thursday it has arrested a convicted sex offender who was extradited from Arizona.

The man allegedly drove erratically on the freeway to gain the attention of a 14-year-old girl in another car and then repeatedly exposed himself to her, the Highway Patrol said.

Thomas Scharrer, 23, who was in custody at the Phoenix City Jail, was turned over to CHP investigators and then returned to Orange County, CHP Officer Angel Johnson said.

Johnson said that Scharrer had been wanted since July 10, when a woman reported that she was driving north on the Costa Mesa Freeway near Dyer Road and noticed a car weaving in and out of the lane to her right, Johnson said.

The passenger in the woman’s car, a 14-year-old girl, then began screaming that the man had exposed himself to her. Before the woman could get out of the way, the man had exposed himself several more times, Johnson said.

The woman later called the CHP, giving authorities the car’s license plate number and a description of the driver. Detectives later identified the man as Scharrer, Johnson said.

But Scharrer, who had five prior indecent exposure convictions, allegedly was tipped off by neighbors that investigators had been asking about him, Johnson said. He fled to Phoenix about 10 days after the incident, hours before his arrest.

But in August, Scharrer was stopped by Phoenix police as he was driving a Porsche. Police ran a check on him and discovered arrest warrants on the indecent exposure charge as well as charges for burglary, possession of drugs and traffic violations, Johnson said.

In addition, police there discovered that the engine inside the Porsche was stolen. He was taken into custody and the CHP was notified, Johnson said.

Scharrer fought extradition proceedings, but was finally ordered by the court to return to California.