Gary Michael “Mike” Madeux was from all appearances trying to make a fresh start in California. He has an extensive criminal record from Jacksonville, Florida, where he has apparently lived most of his life. Records show an arrest in 2003 for indecent exposure and DUI, in 2008 for assault and domestic violence, probation violation, and resisting arrest, and in 2009 for disorderly conduct. The 50-year-old relocated to Sonoma County last year, and is now living in a home in south east Santa Rosa. According to a resume he posted on a career development site last year, he has over ten years experience in the printing industry, and was seeking employment in his new location.

Gary “Mike” Madeux, image from Facebook.

But he was in trouble again last Sunday night, when Madeux was driving a silver 2005 PT Cruiser southbound on the 101 Freeway through Santa Rosa towards Rohnert Park. A Sheriff’s deputy driving on the same freeway observed the PT Cruiser at about 8:40 pm, swerving in and out of lanes, tailgating other cars, and speeding. According to a Sheriff’s Office press release, the deputy pulled the car over, and it exited the freeway at Golf Course Drive, turned right and pulled into the 76 gas station.

As the deputy spoke to the driver, Madeux, he noticed various signs of alcohol intoxication – red and watery eyes, slurred speech, and slow movements. He also smelled alcohol on his breath and in the car. Observing that, the deputy called in for Highway Patrol assistance to test Madeux for intoxication. Within a few minutes, at 8:51, a CHP officer arrived at the scene. But at that moment, Madeux started his car, put it in reverse, and backed up towards the deputy’s patrol car.

Before hitting the car, however, he slammed on the brakes, threw it into drive and peeled out of the gas station. No doubt momentarily stunned by his actions, the deputy and CHP officer quickly jumped into their vehicles and pursued the PT Cruiser with full lights and sirens, as Madeux drove through the Good Nite Inn parking lot, which is right behind the 76 station. He left the lot onto Redwood Drive, turning left, but into the oncoming traffic lanes. He reportedly then turned right, cutting across lanes onto Golf Course Drive, reaching up to 75 mph, as another CHP unit joined the pursuit.

When Madeux left the Good Nite Inn, he headed the wrong way on Redwood Drive.

As Golf Course became Wilfred Avenue, Madeux approached a red light at the Stony Point Road intersection. Madeux did not stop, and his Cruiser ran into a man driving a black Volkswagen Jetta station wagon traveling south. Madeux ended up off the road on the opposite corner at a fenced in agricultural field. He jumped out of the damaged car and made a run for it. but he was no match for the three officers, and was quickly apprehended.

Emergency medical and fire personnel arrived, and treated both Madeux and the unfortunate driver of the Jetta. That man was taken home by deputies after treatment, but Madeux’s pains were sufficient that he required hospital treatment, and was admitted for at least overnight observation. He was released on Wednesday and then booked at the Sonoma County jail on charges of DUI with bodily injury, evading a peace officer with wanton disregard for public safety, reckless driving with injury, driving without a license, and resisting arrest.

INGLEWOOD, CA—It’s a well-known advertising line that “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” but not everyone seems to follow this line of reasoning.

Lewcia Allania Willis, 23, was picked up by Inglewood Police Department (IPD) officers on Wednesday, September 24 at approximately 3 a.m. She was arrested along the 200 block of South La Brea Avenue in Inglewood, which is at the intersection of West Manchester Boulevard.

The intersection is the civic center of the charter city where city hall, IPD HQ and the library are located.

The 5’4”, 125-lb. Las Vegas woman, which police records state resides on the 2600 block of East Deer Springs Way, was charged with multiple weapons violations. The four charges were: carrying a concealed firearm (17510(A)PC), carrying a loaded firearm (17510(A)2PC), carrying a loaded firearm in a public place (25850(A)PC) and carrying a concealed weapon/firearm in a vehicle (25400(A)3PC).

The total bail was set at $90,000. Two of the violations were set at $10,000 each and two were set at $35,000 each.

Police records did not indicate the type of firearm nor where it was concealed. In any case, Willis will probably not be leaving for Las Vegas anytime soon.

INGLEWOOD —Religion may be “the opiate of the masses,” but opium is apparently blissful for motorists.

Adriana Gazcon-Cervantes, 32, was apprehended by Inglewood Police Department (IPD) officers for a number of charges involving opium, alcohol and prior warrants. The Los Angeles resident was arrested on Thursday, September 9 at approximately 9:30 p.m. at the intersection of West Manchester Boulevard and South La Brea Avenue.

Within a minute’s walk of the intersection is IPD headquarters, city hall and the Inglewood locale of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD).

The 5’4”, 140-lb. resident from the 6300 South Harcourt Avenue was charged with four violations: felony possession of a controlled substance (11377(A)HS), possession of an opium pipe or any similar device (11364(A)HS), driving with a license (12500(A)VC and possession of an open container while driving (23223(A)VC). She also had two prior warrants. Both were failures to appear, and one was from IPD where as the other was from LASD.

Bail for the four new violations was set at $10,385. The bail set for the two prior warrants $1,936.

In any case, waking up in jail after a night of opium and drinking is not a dream anyone wants.

INGLEWOOD —What is the most a person might spend in a single night of drinking?

David Tavarez, 21, may have tried to answer that seemingly odd question when he was arrested by Inglewood Police Department (IPD) officers on Monday, September 22 shortly after midnight. The Inglewood resident from the 1200 block of Welton Way was arrested apparently just half a block from his residence on the same street.

The 5’5”, 140-lb. man was ultimately yoked with more than a quarter-million dollars worth of bail for a number of alcohol-related violations.

There were six charges in all: DUI alcohol/drugs causing bodily harm (23153(A)VC), DUI .08 alcohol causing bodily injury (23153(B)VC), hit and run resulting in injury/property damage (20001(A)VC), DUI alcohol/drugs (23152(A)VC), DUI alcohol/0.08 percent (23152(B)VC) and hit and run: property damage (20002(A)VC).

Respective to the above-listed charges, bail amounts were set at $100,000 for the first two, $50,000 for the third and $5,000 each for the last three.

For that price, one could have chartered a private luxury jet with all the amenities and still had some change left over as well as gone home to bed instead of a holding cell.

INGLEWOOD —It’s said that once something is on one’s permanent record, it will follow a person forever.

Bulmaro Mendoza, 21, may be able to attest to that belief. The Gardena man was stopped by Inglewood Police Department (IPD) officers on Saturday, September 20 at approximately 3 a.m. The resident of the 14000 block of South Berendo Avenue in the nearby city was arrested at the intersection of Crenshaw Boulevard and West 109th Street in Inglewood.

The area where Mendoza was stopped was awash in unsolved shooting homicides during the last eight months of 2013. According to the Los Angeles Times’ Homicide Blog (http://homicide.latimes.com/neighborhood/inglewood/year/2013), there were six such murders between April and December, 2013, along the stretch of Crenshaw Boulevard north of the 105 freeway up to Century Boulevard.

He was charged with possession of an assault weapon (30605(A)PC), carrying a stolen loaded firearm (12031A2BPC), unlawful possession of a firearm with prior juvenile offense (29820(B)PC), receiving/etc. known stolen property (496(A)PC) and driving with a suspended license (14601.1AVC).

Total bail was set at $100,300.

It is unknown if Mendoza had any intent of using the weapons in the area which is well-known for being claimed by the Avenue Piru Gang, a set of the Blood gang.

Officers from the Roseville Police Department were able to apprehend a suspected shoplifter and his accomplice after receiving a helpful tip from a citizen, according to an official weekly crime report.

Joshua Barnett Johnson, 34, of Cameron Park was reportedly arrested on suspicion of robbery (taking merchandise from the store by force or fear), burglary (entering the store with the intention of stealing), and other related charges. His suspected accomplice Sara Marie Daniels, 33, of El Dorado Hills, was reportedly arrested on suspicion of robbery, conspiracy, and being an accessory to the crime.

Sara Marie Daniels and Joshua Barnett Johnson mugshots

According to Roseville PD, on Sunday, September 21 at about 6 pm, a loss prevention officer had tried to detain a suspected shoplifter outside a store at the Westfield Galleria. The suspect reportedly resisted arrest, punched the staff member in the throat, and ran away.

Officers arrived on the scene and began searching for the suspect. A citizen witness reportedly called the Roseville PD’s dispatch center to report seeing a man run across the street to the Creekside Shopping Center and hide in some tall grass. Thanks to the citizen’s tip, officers reportedly located the suspect and took him into custody.

HAWTHORNE —A good thief never gets caught for stupid mistakes, and surely a stupid mistake is riding a bicycle with no lights in the small hours.

David James Shaina, 26, was stopped by Hawthorne Police Department officers on Monday, September 22 at approximately 3 a.m. along the 4800 block of 142nd Street. The unemployed transient was apparently stopped for operating a bicycle on the wrong side of the road (21650.1VC) as well as operating a bicycle at night without the required lighting (21201(D)1VC).

Those two minor violations would most likely have resulted in a couple of $25 citations and the humiliation of having to walk the bicycle away, but the police discovered that Shaina had two bench warrants and then searched him to find a number of items that resulted in his arrest.

He was also charged with obstructing/resisting police officers (148(A)(1)PC, possessing burglary tools (466PC) and failing to obey a peace officer (2800VC).

Bail for the new charges was set at a total of $11,050.

The two warrants, which had been issued by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), had a bail set at $20,000 each. The two LASD warrants included possession of a controlled substance (11377(A)HS) and use of a controlled substance (11550(A)HS).

It is imagined that he will have a fair amount of time to reconsider how not to make such mistakes next time.

HAWTHORNE —What does it mean when four young men with firearms are in a single car at 4 a.m.?

Taufa Nua, 37; Calvin Leonard Tonga, 23; Kii Tongaofa, 21; and Sosaia Sekona, 33 were arrested by Hawthorne Police Department officers on Sunday, September 21 at approximately 4 a.m. along the 12800 block of Prairie Avenue. The four men were charged with various violations regarding possession of firearms.

Nua was charged with owing/possessing a firearm as a convicted felon (29800(A)1PC). Tongaofa was charged with illegally owning/possessing a firearm with prior convictions (29900(A)1PC), carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle (25400(A)1PC) and carrying a loaded firearm in a public place (25850(A)PC). Tongaofa was charged with carrying a loaded firearm in a public place (25850(A)PC), carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle (25400(A)1PC) and allowing passengers to carry loaded firearms in the vehicle (26100(A)PC). Sekona was charged with carrying a loaded firearm in a public place (25850(A)PC), owning/possessing a firearm while subject to restraint (29825(B)PC) and carrying a concealed weapon on one’s person (25400(A)2PC).

Bail for Nua was set at $35,000. Bail for Tonga, Tongaofa and Sekona was set at $105,000 each for each man’s three charges.

Alisha Ratts Placer County mugshot

A woman who had just been released from the Roseville City Jail reportedly landed herself right back in after attempting to steal a laptop computer from the Placer SPCA, according to an official weekly crime report from the Roseville Police Department.

Alisha Racquel Ratts, 27, who reported herself as a transient from Kelseyville in Lake County, was reportedly arrested on suspicion of burglary and resisting arrest.

The Roseville jail is on the left, the SPCA is on the right.

According to Roseville PD, on Friday, September 19 at 8 am, Ratts had just been released from the Roseville City Jail. She walked into a portable office building at the Placer SPCA in the 100 block of Corporation Yard Road and took a laptop computer. SPCA staff reportedly confronted Ratts and detained her until officers arrived on the scene. Ratts reportedly dropped the laptop computer and damaged it, then reportedly fought officers as they placed her under arrest.

Ratts was arrested Thursday in this area of Maxwell, CA

Perhaps craving more excitement, she was back in action this week, when she was picked up by Colusa County Sheriff’s deputies in the small town of Maxwell, which is located along Interstate 5 north of Williams. Details of the incident were not available, but she was charged with vandalism and trespassing, and arrested near the town’s water tower on Olive Street. This time she reported her home address as an apartment in Santa Rosa. According to her Facebook profile, she also resides in Spokane, Washington. Bail was set at $5,000.

SANTA CLARITA – Although one of the two incidents reported by the Santa Clarita Valley Station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department occurred over a month ago, they believe that both are related and are hoping that someone will recognize their surveillance photos and identify them.

Another surveillance photo

On August 15, the AT&T store on the 26400 block of Bouquet Canyon Road reported that five black males aged 18 – 22 entered the store and stole cell phones and tablets by ripping the devices from the security cables to which they were attached.  They were in and out within a minute.

On September 7, another AT&T store on the 24900 block of Pico Canyon Road experienced a similar fate.  This time three black males aged 18 – 20 and again stole cell phones and tablets.  Authorities believe these robberies are related and possibly committed by the same suspects.

The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff welcomes any phone calls concerning these cases to 861-255-1121.  You can also remain anonymous and call 1-800-222-TIPS.

Read More:

NBC4: Authorities search for men wanted in separate AT&T store burglaries

LA Daily Times: Do you know these cell phone store robbers?

Officers from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department’s recently arrested three suspects during an undercover massage parlor operation, according to an official press release.

Sac Sheriff’s North Problem Oriented Policing (POP) team and North Patrol deputies reportedly conducted the undercover massage parlor operation at several locations in northern Sacramento County. Deputies reportedly arrested three adults for prostitution or prostitution-related charges:

One of the locations investigated, New York Massage on Fulton.

• Brianna Katz, 19, arrested at New York Massage, 1601 Fulton Ave., on charge 647b PC
• Lauren Edwards, 26, arrested at New York Massage, 1601 Fulton Ave., on charges 647b PC & 315 PC
• Sumei Zhao, 56, arrested at Elite Massage, 8121 Madison Ave., on charges 647b PC & 315 PC

According to Sac Sheriff, these initial arrests are just the beginning of the lengthy process to permanently combat this ongoing neighborhood problem. POP officers will reportedly continue to respond to the community in targeting issues that can be addressed by law enforcement efforts.

Suspect Was Shot By One of His Co-Conspirators

Brandon Husted and Esteban Sanchez

SCOTTS VALLEY—Detectives with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office arrested four suspects in a home invasion robbery, after a reported gunshot wound led them to the stolen property. Arrested were 24-year-old Erik Vlach of Scotts Valley, 19-year-old Capitola resident Jeremy Spencer, 19-year-old Brandon Husted of Live Oak and 19-year-old Esteban Sanchez, also of Live Oak.

On September 19, Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Detectives were called to the Dominican Hospital on a report of a gunshot wound. At first, Vlach claimed that he was shot in the foot by an unknown assailant, but later confessed that Spencer had shot him.

Both the home invasion robbery and the stolen goods were found at homes on 30th Ave. in Live Oak.

Detectives were able to connect Vlach and Spencer to a home invasion robbery that occurred at the same time of shooting, on the 1500 block of 30th Avenue. They determined that during the robbery two armed suspects entered the victim’s home wearing black t-shirts over their faces, and stole cash, marijuana, electronics and a rifle, and then fled on foot. In the confusion, Spencer accidentally discharged one of the guns, hitting Vlach’s right foot.

Jeremy Spencer in a Facebook image, with possibly Esteban Sanchez. Spencer is friends all three others through his Facebook page.

Both Spencer and Vlach were arrested on charges of robbery, conspiracy, burglary, assault with a deadly weapon and negligent discharging of a weapon. Their bail has been set at 100,000.00 dollars. Both men have a long history with law enforcement. Records show Spencer has been arrested at least eight times in the past year, on theft, burglary and drug charges. Vlach’s arrest records go back further, with over 25 arrests dating back to 2007, on charges such as theft, grand theft, burglary, battery, illegal weapons, drug offenses, and parole violations.

Brandon Husted and Erik “Ricky” Vlach (Facebook)

Through their arrest of Vlach and Spencer, detectives learned the location of the stolen property. Ironically, it was found just a few doors down from where the robbery had occurred, at Brandon Husted’s home. It appears that the first two committed the robbery, and arranged to retreat to Husted’s nearby home for a quick hiding place.

Deputies arrested Husted at the residence and have charged him with possession of stolen property, conspiracy and a probation violation.  His bail was set at 10,000.00 dollars. Like Vlach and Spencer, he is no stranger to the county jail, with at least eight arrests in the past year.

Detectives also arrested a fourth suspect, Sanchez, who was charged with possession of stolen property. It is not clear if he was in on the robbery, or just at Husted’s house at the time. He was released at the scene.

PETALUMA – According to a press release by the Petaluma Police Department (PPD), a man who had followed a girl home from school three weeks ago has been apprehended.

An earlier news release and “school alert” issued by the PPD said that the man had approached the girl in the vicinity of Petaluma Boulevard South and F Street. The suspect had rolled down his passenger window and offered the girl a ride. She refused the man and continued walking southbound on Petaluma Boulevard.

The suspect continued to follow the girl and repeatedly offered her a ride despite the girl’s refusals. The man became aggressive and more insistent that she get into his car as he started “leap-frogging” ahead of her path of travel. Ultimately he started to demand that the girl get into his car and the girl then began to run from the suspect.

The girl headed west on Mountain View Avenue and the suspect initially continued to follow her in his vehicle. He then turned around and headed back towards Petaluma Boulevard South.

The victim reported at the time that the vehicle was possibly a white Toyota Prius with a “Hello Kitty” logo and a “stick-figure family” decals on the rear hatchback which may have been ajar. The suspect was described as a dark male with short hair and an acne scarred face wearing reading glasses.

An alert citizen reported seeing a car matching the description of the vehicle in the news release. PPD Investigations arranged for the victim to view the vehicle and its owner. The girl positively identified both the vehicle and suspect involved in the incident.

Carlos Antonio Cruz, a 27-year-old San Francisco resident was subsequently arrested for stalking and harassing a child. Cruz is now being held on $100,000 bail at the Sonoma County Main Detention Facility.

This morning, Alameda Police released the names and photos of the two men suspected of deliberately setting eight separate fires around the city of Alameda Sunday morning that damaged or destroyed several homes and businesses. The suspects are Stephen Michael Petersen, 27, an Alameda resident, and Andrew Gutierrez, 22, a transient.

Alameda Fire responding to a blaze (Alameda FD)

The fires all occurred within a seven block radius between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., according to an Alameda County Fire Department press release. In chronological order, the fires took place at the following locations:

1. 1300 block of Regent Street
2. 2000 block of San Antonio Avenue
3. 1100 block of Regent Street
4. 2200 block of San Antonio Avenue
5. 1000 block of Willow Street
6. 2200 block of Encinal Avenue
7. 1600 block of Park Street
8. 1500 block of Park Street

Four families were displaced from their homes and five businesses were damaged or destroyed as a result of the fires. The Red Cross is working with the displaced families to find them shelter. No injuries to civilians or firefighters have been reported.

Fire crews work on one of the blazes (Alameda FD)

At a press conference yesterday, Alameda Fire Chief Michael D’Orazi said a total of 40 Alameda firefighters responded to the fires. They received additional help from 35 mutual aid firefighters from departments in Oakland, Alameda County and Berkeley.

Most of the fires began as car fires or garbage can fires that spread to nearby homes and businesses. The largest fire, the one in the 1600 block of Park Street that resulted in the damage or destruction of the five businesses, started as a car fire. “The car fires were part of the bigger fires,” said D’Orazi. “They were what we call external starts. They were set outside of the building, including the largest one here on Park Street, which was set underneath or close to a vehicle that was parked next to the building. The vehicle caught on fire then the fire spread to the building soon after.”

D’Orazi stated that there are no damage estimates at the moment. “It’s going to take a while before we can get to that,” he said.

Stephen Petersen Marching for Animal Liberation with Direct Action Everywhere and an image playing guitar from Facebook.

Alameda Police are working with the Alameda Fire Department and the Arson Task Force to investigate the fires and try to determine a motive. Petersen is an animal rights activist, as well as a songwriter and music producer at Autumn’s End Records, according to his Facebook page. His profile states “I operate and manage a small record company, mainly for my own records and the records I produce with my father. Until I get more going, I also record demos for local bands… Playing music and writing songs is my life :)” He is also a graduate for San Francisco State University as an English Literature major. It is not clear if his activities had any part in his motivation, or what connection Gutierrez has to him.

Both suspects are being held at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. Gutierrez’s bail is set at $1 million. Petersen’s bail is set at $750,000. Both men are scheduled to appear in court Tuesday afternoon.

Read More:

SFGate: Two suspects identified in string of Alameda arsons

TEMECULA – A suspect was arrested after initiating a vehicle pursuit, escaping on foot, and ultimately being brought to a halt by a police canine unit.

Near midnight on Saturday, a Riverside County Sheriff’s deputy patrolling the 21800 block of Richard Road noticed a man acting suspiciously in the cab of a Toyota Tundra. The suspect crouched down in the seat as if trying to avoid being spotted by the patrol car.

The deputy pulled over to investigate and as he exited his vehicle, the truck began to move. According to Sergeant David Cardoza in a press release, the Tundra made slight contact with the officer as it accelerated past, continuing on Richard Road toward State Highway 74. The deputy called the vehicle in and another patrol unit spotted the vehicle on State Highway 74 and Rosetta Canyon Drive.

The second deputy attempted to pull the Toyota Tundra over, and a vehicle pursuit was initiated. The deputy gave chase and the occupant abandoned the truck of Rosetta Canyon Road and Sunsprite Street, fleeing on foot into the wash area. The Toyota Tundra had been reported stolen out of the city of Temecula.

The suspect escaped down Whitehall Street and residents called in to report the suspect fleeing through their backyards. Deputies established a perimeter based on public reports and a police service canine, along with the Sheriff’s air unit responded to the location.

Once the air unit pinpointed the suspect’s location in a backyard in the 40900 block of Diana Lane, officers converged on the area. Again, the suspect attempted to flee and the police service canine was deployed. The K9 officer bit the suspect, detaining him.  Dan Andrew Dalton, 30, of Meadowbrook was taken into custody.

Dalton was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, vehicle theft, possession of stolen property, and felony evading and was eventually transported to the Southwest Detention Center.

Read More:

Press Enterprise: Car chase ends in auto-theft arrest

MyValleyNews: Police arrest parolee driving stolen pickup

SACRAMENTO—Police say they were poised to arrest a Sacramento man for animal cruelty on Friday, September 26 when he was scheduled to arrive at the Sacamento County Courthouse on another charge, but he failed to appear. Meek had been arrested on August 14 on charges of possession of a controlled substance. Records show several prior arrests on drug charges the past several years, and at least one for petty theft in 2007.

William David Meek

Prosecutors filed a felony charge against William David Meek for the malicious maiming of an animal. Meek, 47, is described as 6 feet, 2 inches tall, 200 pounds and having brown hair with blue eyes. His last known address was in Citrus Heights.

Investigators say Meek told his girlfriend he was taking her border collie, Zelda, to an animal shelter but instead threw the dog into the American River with a bowling ball tied to its leash.

Despite being weighted down by the bowling ball and a large rock, the dog’s carcass was found on the surface of the water at River Park on June 17, 2014.

The 12-year-old border collie was identified by its microchip. Zelda reportedly bit a woman in a home where Meek’s girlfriend was staying and he offered to take the dog to the city animal shelter.

Sacramento Animal Care manager Gina Knepp said there was no indication he made any attempt to surrender Zelda at the shelter before drowning her in the river.

Knepp said a necropsy showed that the dog has died from drowning and had neck trauma from the struggle.

Neighbors on the North Sacramento street where Zelda had been staying were stunned when told what had happened to her. “That’s one step below torturing a child,” said Wayne Osborn, who lives across the street. Leo Suarez, who lives three doors down, remembered Zelda as a happy dog. “It’s so sad to hear that,” he said.

Amanda Bynes had quite a career going, first as a child actress, and then rising to further fame as a young woman. From 1997 to 2010, when she turned 24, she starred in four TV shows, including The Amanda Show on the Nickelodeon Network. She also had parts in ten films, including Hairspray, as Tracy’s friend Penny, and opposite Emma Stone in Easy A. She reportedly dropped out and resumed her acting career a few times after that run, but has done little in the way of performing since. She also reportedly began studying for a career in fashion design at Irvine’s Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, a private school with four California locations.

Amanda Bynes booking photo from 2012.

However, the 2010′s saw Byrnes in trouble with the law on several occasions. A 2012 arrest for talking on her cell phone while driving was followed by a DUI when she hit a police car, and she was also charged with a hit and run. She had another hit and run incident that year, and managed to settle those cases and accept probation. She did get caught again, however, while driving with a suspended license.

2013 saw arrests for marijuana possession in New York, and a strange incident in Thousand Oaks in Ventura County, when she was caught setting a fire in a stranger’s driveway. After a mental health evaluation, she was released to the care of her parents.

Bynes got to a red light at this intersection, and stopped in the middle.

Bynes was in trouble once again this weekend. As Saturday night turned into Sunday morning, Bynes was driving her white Mercedes Benz GL 450 through Sherman Oaks on Riverside Drive, over 50 miles from her current home in Irvine, which is near the Fashion Institute campus. She was, however, just a few miles from her other reported residence in a Calabasas gated community.

She was near the 101 Freeway on-ramp when she got to a red light at Riverside and Van Nuys Blvd., and stopped late, right in the middle of the intersection. Being 3:45 in the morning, with very little traffic about, her maneuver caught the attention of a Highway Patrol officer, who initiated a traffic stop.

The officer observed that she appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and administered a filed sobriety test. She failed, and was taken to the Woodland Hills West Valley CHP office for further evaluation by a staff Drug Recognition Expert officer, and subsequently arrested for 23152(e) – driving under the influence of a drug. She was booked at the Van Nuys jail at 7:06 in the morning. Officers reported that she was cooperative during the entire process.

A suspected drug dealer was recently arrested, resulting in over a pound of methamphetamine and $40,000 in cash being seized, according to an official press release from the Roseville Police Department.

Joshua Holmboe, 25, of Carmichael was reportedly arrested on suspicion of selling methamphetamine and narcotics, being a felon in possession of firearms, and other related charges. He is reportedly being held without bail in the Sacramento County Jail.

According to Roseville PD, narcotics detectives had suspected Holmboe was both selling illegal drugs directly to users and also supplying lower-level drug dealers, and some of those drugs were being sold and used in Roseville. On Tuesday, September 23, narcotics detectives and officers from Roseville’s Crime Suppression Unit went to Carmichael to search of Holmboe, who was reportedly a probationer. Records show he was arrested twice in 2011, and again in October last year on various charges of marijuana and controlled substance possession, sales, and transportation, as well as an illegal weapon and ammunition charge.

Holmboe was located right down the road from these Sutter Ave. apartments where he lives.

Officers found the suspect driving on Fair Oaks Boulevard near Sutter Avenue, detained him without incident, and conducted a probation search of his nearby home. An investigator from the US Department of Homeland Security reportedly assisted in the search.

During the search of Holmboe, his vehicle and his home, officers reportedly seized over a pound of meth, a large quantity of prescription narcotics, packaging materials, and other evidence of drug sales. Additionally, officers reportedly sized several loaded firearms — including both handguns and long guns — and more than $40,000 in currency. According to officers, two of the firearms were stolen — one had been taken during a residential burglary in Citrus Heights and the other during a residential burglary in Reno.

Read More:

KCRA: Pound of meth, $40K found in Roseville PD drug bust

Just days after experiencing San Jose’s 29th homicide, police announced the arrest of three individuals responsible for the shooting death of 33-year-old Santrius Romel Lawrence near the 7-11 at Monterey Road and Edenview Drive in San Jose. A police spokesman Officer Albert Morales with the SJPD announced, “The follow up investigation developed information that led to the identification and arrest of the three suspects”.

San Jose Police Special Operations Covert Response Unit (CRU) arrested the following suspects:
23-year-old Cesar Cacho was arrested in Stockton on August 6;
21-year-old Jesus Rivera was arrested in Gilroy on August 12;
21-year-old Ivan Matias Montalbo was arrested in San Jose on September 19.

The victim was killed near this 7-11 (photo Amy Nilson)

According to Officer Morales “The three suspects were booked into the Santa Clara County Jail. The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office previously filed formal charges on Cesar Cacho and Jesus Rivera for murder with the formal filing on Ivan Montalbo to be reviewed and filed next week”.

Reports say that Santrius Lawrence was walking Southbound on the 5000 block of Monterey Road when he was confronted by the three suspects. During a brief confrontation, one of them exited the vehicle, shooting several rounds at the victim. Morales said, “The victim fell to the parking lot pavement and shortly after succumbed to the gunshot wounds”. The suspects fled the scene before police could arrive.

Makeshift memorials to the victim were made outside the 7-11 store (photos Amy Nilson)

The news of the arrests comes just days after Saturday night’s shooting death of 24-year-old Richard Watkins on Azucar Avenue and Roeder Road, off Monterey Highway in South San Jose. While at his family’s car, someone in another car fired several shots at the victim before fleeing the scene. The street is often packed with cars and drivers using flashers to unload and load cars with items. It was during this time that an argument erupted between the suspect and Watkins that resulted in the driver to fire several shots, killing the victim.

Victim Richard Watkins in an image posted to Forever Missed memorial site.

Morales said, “We definitely want to go ahead and reach out to the public”. SJPD police responded to the scene blocking off the area for several hours while collecting evidence and confirm witness accounts of the incident.  “We definitely want to get some closure and then get some answers for the family as well,” Morales said.

Persons with information regarding the above case are urged to contact Detective Sgt. Guire or Detective K. Tran of the San Jose Police Department’s Homicide Unit at (408)277-5283.

Ventura County - The usual response of a family member to the death of a loved one is usually grief. The response of a child to the death of a parent is usually overwhelming grief. But then there are those lovely offspring who simply feel nothing but overwhelming opportunity at the death of a parent and do all they can to capitalize upon their “loss”.

Such appears to have been the case with Sandra Lopez, a 40-year old Oxnard woman who was arrested on the morning of September 24th pursuant to what Ventura County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Det. Russell King reported as “an investigation into an allegation that Lopez stole her deceased mother’s identity in order to obtain credit cards.”

The investigation presaging her arrest indicated that Lopez had opened no less than five individual credit card accounts “by pretending to be her deceased mother.” Lopez, ironically the owner of a collection agency, apparently used her knowledge of credit approval protocols and identification standards without hesitation, opening fraudulent accounts “within weeks of the death” of her mother for the sole purpose of purchasing goods and services without any intention of paying for them.

Ventura County Sheriff’s Department Major Crimes Unit conducted an investigation into Lopez’s spending habits, and on the 24th served a search warrant at her home that turned up evidence sufficient for her arrest and booking into Ventura County Jail on charges of felony identity theft.

Photo: courtesy www.creditlovers.com

Read more:

EdHat: Suspect charged in identity theft

VCSTAR: Oxnard woman accused of stealing dead mother’s identity