Owner of SLO woman’s gym accused of peeping in window

September 1, 2023

By KAREN VELIE

The owner of a gym in San Luis Obispo where a spy camera was recently discovered hidden in a bathroom, was arrested following a peeping Tom incident in Los Osos more than a decade ago.

Last month, a 22-year-old pregnant woman found a GoPro camera concealed in a white towel placed in a mop bucket in a woman’s restroom at CCC Fitness. Even though the gym’s owner Cole Corrigan asked Maria and Zach Lerno not to call law enforcement, they did.

An officer then went to the gym, took the camera and opened an investigation. This is not Corrigan’s first run-in with law enforcement.

In 2006 and 2007, a Los Osos teen would regularly see a face peering in her window at night, she told a CalCoastNews reporter. While deputies would find beer cans, chew containers and footprints outside the teen’s window, the peeping Tom always left before deputies arrived. CalCoastNews is not naming the now 35-year-old victim.

In 2007, the teen’s brother saw a “black hoodie, white undershirt, denim jean wearing man leap over our 6-foot fence, easily like a professional hurdler and begin his escape.”

The teen grabbed a bat, and she and her brother gave chase as the peeping Tom ran across Los Osos Valley Road.

“He ditched his jacket in front of Carlock’s Bakery, exposing his biceps which were easily the size of my thigh, cut through the back alley that’s now Starbucks and that’s about when we ended up making contact with someone in the Vons’ parking lot to call 911,” the victim said.

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Deputies arrived and set up a perimeter. They eventually located Corrigan by the Ralph’s parking lot, the victim said. She then recognized Corrigan as a former elementary school classmate.

Deputies arrested Corrigan and were able to obtain an emergency restraining order for the victim the next morning, the victim said.

About a week later, a naked Corrigan, who appeared to be under the influence, was spotted about five blocks from the teen’s home, she said. Corrigan was injured when he fought off seven deputies who pepper sprayed, shot beanbags, used batons and tasered him. He was later charged with felony resisting arrest.

CalCoastNews attempted to get records of five misdemeanor and two felony cases against Corrigan which include transporting a controlled substance, loitering on someone’s property to commit a crime, DUI and public intoxication. However, “pursuant to Government Code 68152(c) F000409453; M000422159; M000408959; F000403542; M000391747; M000391207,” courthouse staff previously destroyed the records.

If you have further information about this or other filming incidents please contact reporter Karen Velie at (805) 234-1703.

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