The Region - News from May 8, 1986

Banning Mayor Rod Cowles was jailed on suspicion of child molestation, police in the Riverside County city said. Cowles, 35, was arrested at his home, Lt. Mike Pagan said, adding that the case concerns four counts of child molestation involving two children. He did not know how the alleged victims met Cowles, who lives alone and is estranged from his wife. Cowles, who was elected mayor in November, 1985, was being held in County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail, Pagan said.