Man Accused Of Lewd Acts In Girls' Bathroom At Mill Valley School

MILL VALLEY, CA — A man faces several felony charges stemming from allegations he entered a girls' restroom at Mill Valley Middle School and committed lewd acts in front of students. In a news release, the Mill Valley Police Department said officers were first dispatched to the school on reports of a person loitering on the campus around 4:30 p.m. Monday.

Police learned that a person had entered the female restroom and spoken to students inside. Officers found the suspect nearby and arrested him, citing and releasing him on suspicion of trespassing.

Later the same day, police heard from concerned parents who shed light on more disturbing details of what had occurred.

"Further investigation by our officers discovered the male suspect had in fact entered the female restroom, briefly conversed with victims exposed his genitalia and proceeded to masturbate in their presence," police wrote Tuesday. "It was further reported that the suspect had attempted to block the door behind himself once in the restroom, causing the victims to feel as though they were being imprisoned within the restroom with no room for escape."

While following up on the case Tuesday afternoon, officers heard radio traffic indicating the Tiburon Police Department had made contact with the same man during an unrelated investigation. Mill Valley officers asked the department to detain the man and took custody of him shortly after 1 p.m.

Police identified the suspect in the case as Derrell Bland, 33.

He was booked into the Marin County jail on suspicion of multiple charges including felony indecent exposure, false imprisonment and engaging in lewd conduct in a public place. Officials said the investigation remains active and additional charges could be pursued.