An off-duty detective from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, Detective Deputy Rosalind Nguyen, turned her movie night into a moment of civic duty by aiding in the capture of a sought-after suspect. Nguyen, affiliated with the Sexual Assault Investigative Unit, was driving to the movies when she spotted a suspect of repeated indecent exposure incidents around Santa Clara University, reported the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.
Having received reports and surveillance footage of Dennis Mendoza Ojeda, 34, of Alviso, engaged in lewd behavior on Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) buses, Nguyen recognized him as the suspect. Driving by on The Alameda, Nguyen performed a U-turn, beginning a street sweep that led to Ojeda's discovery at a transit center bench. "My first thought was that was my suspect," Nguyen said. "I can’t let him get away and do this again," she told the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.
Despite being off-duty, Nguyen did not hesitate to contact her on-duty colleagues, who took Ojeda into custody. His capture provided a measure of relief to the community, as Ojeda had been accused of multiple disturbing acts, including placing a female passenger's hair in his mouth. These actions deeply concerned the commuting public, especially those with minors.
Nguyen, embodying composure and dedication, offered her assistance at the Sheriff’s Office, postponing her leisure plans to ensure Ojeda's booking into the Santa Clara County Main Jail. According to Captain Sugey Jaimez, Nguyen "exemplifies the qualities we strive for in every detective – an unwavering commitment to justice, reliability, and dedication," as she eventually made it back to catch the remainder of the movie and completed her report for the suspect’s court appearance the next day, as recounted by the Sheriff’s Office.
