Shirtless man on meth arrested after trying to break into the monkey pens at the Santa Ana Zoo

John William Rodenborn

If you need yet another reason to stay away from meth consider the fate of 37-year-old John William Rodenborn, a man who was arrested today at around 10:30 a.m., at the Santa Ana Zoo while he was shirtless and covered with mud, claiming to be Tarzan and was swinging from the trees and trying to break into a monkey pen, according to the O.C. Register.

Rodenborn, a local transient, was found to be under the influence of meth and in possession of meth as well.  He apparently jumped over a safety fence that is supposed to keep the public out of the monkey exhibits.  He tried to escape when the cops showed up but they were able to detain him.

Rodenborn has previously plead guilty to being under the influence of drugs and burglary charges.  He was cited today for possession of Meth and released.

The Zoo was open when Rodenborn went on his monkey escapade but apparently he did not bother anyone – except for the monkeys.  But the Zoo director, Kent Yamaguchi, said the monkeys were not disturbed and their cages were not damaged.

The Santa Ana Zoo is located at 1801 East Chestnut Avenue, in Santa Ana, at Prentice Park, in Ward 1, which is represented by Mayor Pro Tem Vince Sarmiento.

This debacle is what we were worried about when the Orange County Supervisors voted to put a homeless shelter in the middle of a poor Latino neighborhood on the City’s east side.  Fortunately they scuttled that idea and are now looking to place a homeless shelter in Anaheim instead.

Art Pedroza Editor
Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.
Art Pedroza

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

View Comments

  • From the headline I expected to see a mug shot of Paul Lucas or Nadia Davis!

    METH IS BAD SHIT whether being peddled by Paul, Lil Smokie, Yogi, Donna, or Roman. It's a NASTY, NASTY thing.

    Why would anyone with a brain cell be involved, or let their kid be involved?

      • If we cut out the anon comments we would hardly have any comments at all.

        You and I both know you are a good guy so just disregard the BS.

  • Wow what a surprise another coward leaving anonymous comments on the internet so you don't have to be accountable for your words. Go back to abusing your prescription pills and thinking you are a better person than anyone who has a disease which is drug abuse. Lets see your hero's like Rush Limbaugh busted for drugs... But he doesn't have any brain cells does he?
    Guessing you are a Republican and probably you think you are a good church going citizen of OC so here this is for you. John 8:7 But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."

    If you are going to be critical of someone like Paul Lucas don't make up stories or use something you no nothing about to throw someone in the mud. You are an ignorant person and a coward to be critical of people without warrant and hidden.

    If you want to be critical of Paul Lucas there are plenty of true things you can use like he always wears the most ugly ties ALWAYS

    • I wear those ties so i stand out in thse crowd. lol Im short so I can easily disappear in a crowd.

  • Yeah meth is bad especially when he's already bi polar and Orange County keeps denying him disability or any help we have tried to get him in mental hospital when they came to take him they said he was fine it's a long hard struggle.and they arrest him and blame it all on meth and just release him no help
    From- John Rodenborn's younger sister -Casandra

          • I'm so sorry to hear that happened to your brother that is my fear that one day the phone calls from him will stop and instead it will be that life changing call telling me hes dead i pray that doesn't happen and more people like him with mental illness and drug addiction get the right kind of help even if they don't want it because they don't know they don't want it until after they're back in they're right mind.

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