There are hundreds of stories of wanted criminals trying to elude law enforcement by leading them on a high speed chase, running though homes or wilderness, or hiding in a building. Not many try to dig their way out.

Mendocino Sheriff’s Deputies were at work early Wednesday, responding to a home in rural Covelo in inland rural Mendocino County, north and east of Willits. they arrived at 4:45 am to the property in Henderson Lane with an arrest warrant and search warrant for Eugene Winterhawk Lincoln, a 37-year-old ex-convict. Lincoln had been arrested in September on charges of burglary, trespassing, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of a firearm and ammunition as a felon.

Eugene Winterhawk Lincoln

In July of 2011 he was arrested for assault likely to cause great bodily injury. He had hit a man named James Ochoa in the head with a shovel handle, and punched him in the face until he fell to the ground, according to a report in the Willits News. Once Ochoa was on the ground, Lincoln kicked him as well. Ochoa later told deputies Lincoln had accused him of trespassing and attacked him. He was already on felony probation at the time.

When the deputies tried to locate Lincoln Wednesday morning, he was not at the Henderson Lane location, so they proceeded to a known address of his on Tabor Lane, just around the corner from their first stop. Lincoln’s vehicle was parked there, so they proceeded to the door. As they approached they reported hearing sounds of commotion inside, and someone apparently going out the back door, but he was not located in a further search around the building.

So the deputies called in their reliable K9 to help them find their man. The dog was able to find a fresh track, and they followed it to find Lincoln hiding in a hole he had dug to get away. He was taken into custody, dusted off and booked at the Mendocino County Jail in his outstanding warrants for burglary, firearms and ammunition, and trespassing. They proceeded with the original search warrant, finding firearms – rifles and a shotgun – along with ammunition. Additional charges for weapons possession were added and he was held on $100,000.00 bail.

SACRAMENTO–New details have emerged about the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department’s arrest of a man for felony parental abduction after he kidnapped his four-year-old son last Tuesday, February 3.

It was reported that at approximately 6:15 p.m., Adrian Brown Sr. 29, forcibly abducted his child, Adrian Brown Jr., from a residence on the 7000 block of Dolphinfish in South Sacramento. He was seen placing the child in a two-door, blue 2005 Dodge Stratus with paper license plates before erratically driving away. The abduction resulted in an immediate alert for the missing child and Brown, and the Sheriff’s department released a photo of the boy to help locate him.

There was no child seat inside the abduction vehicle, nor did Brown bring the daily medication with him that his son requires. Going against a Family Court order, he threatened to take the child out of the state. He has no custody or visitation rights.

Brown was soon located at a north Sacramento apartment complex near McClellan Airfield after family members called the Sheriff’s Department to report his location, which was also his current residence of record. He as taken into custody without incident and booked into the county jail on Wednesday, February 4, on suspicion of detention of a minor child with intent to conceal from a parent. He was ineligible for bail. The child has since been reunited with his mother.

Brown’s history, according to available arrest records, goes back to 2005 when he was 19-years-old. In April of that year he was charged with battery on a person with serious bodily injury, and vandalism with damages over $5,000. After his release, in April of 2008 he was charged with cocaine sales and violating his parole. Over the next few years he was arrested on unspecified parole violations at least three times, and in 2012 he was found driving on suspended license, and in possession of a narcotic controlled substance. He was also charged with resisting arrest.

When arrested for the abduction, Brown as also charged with violations of his post-release supervision and probation terms.

MARICOPA—Deputies arrested two people in Maricopa earlier this week, for manufacturing concentrated cannabis.

According to the Kern County Sheriff’s Department, on January 30 at around 9:30 a.m., deputies responding to a call on California Street in Maricopa to assist animal control with seizing a dog, discovered evidence of illegal drug manufacturing.

A brief search found that 25-year-old Thomas Mangum and 30-year-old Amanda McDonald had been producing “honey oil”, concentrated cannabis from larger quantities of marijuana.Two young juveniles were also in the residence, including a one-year old girl found climbing on a two-pound box of marijuana and a one-month old boy in the another room.

Deputies said they also located eight pounds of marijuana, 19 Tramadol pills (Schedule IV prescription drug) and one half gram of concentrated cannabis. Deputies arrested both residents.

Mangum was booked into the Taft City jail for manufacturing a controlled substance, and child endangerment. McDonald was issued a citation for possession of a narcotic controlled substance and released at the scene.

Read more:

KERO: Two arrested for manufacturing cannibas

BAKERSFIELD — A known Bakersfield gang member out of jail and on parole is back behind bars after leading police on a high-speed pursuit through the streets of Bakersfield on Friday.

Victor Murillo, 32, was booked into the Kern County Jail on numerous charges which included felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of sale, and reckless evading of a law enforcement officer.

According to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the series of events leading up to Murillo’s arrest began on February 2, when deputies conducted a parole search at Murillo’s home in the 2900 block of Potomac Avenue.

“Although Murillo was not present at the time of search, deputies found a sawed-off shotgun, a handgun and a high powered rifle,” said Kern County Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Ray Pruitt. “All violations of Mr. Murillo’s parole conditions.”

An arrest warrant was issued and four days later on February 6, deputies spotted Murillo driving on College Avenue in east Bakersfield.

“When they tried to stop the suspect he drove away,” Pruitt said. “Leading them on a high speed pursuit, which eventually ended when the driver lost control of his vehicle in an empty field near Niles and Park Streets.”

Murillo was taken in to custody without further incident.

During the pursuit, deputies said they witnessed Murillo throwing approximately 32 grams of methamphetamine from his vehicle. All of which was recovered at the scene.

Read more:

KERO: Parolee arrested on gun and narcotics charges

HIGHLAND – San Bernardino County deputies arrested two men and a woman on charges they poisoned and robbed patrons of a San Bernardino-area casino late last year.

Esperanza Maldonado, 52, of Hesperia, Cameron Dollar, 27, of Rancho Cucamonga, and Eddie Lee Chapman, 41, of Hesperia were arrested on Thursday, February 5.

Detective Brian Chamber said the George Edginton, 48, was found unconscious on the floor of the San Manuel Casino by security officers on November 8, 2014. He told investigators he remembered talking with Maldonado and having a beer with her. “He felt his beer tasted different after leaving it unattended with Maldonado while he used the restroom,” said Chamber.

After having a few sips of beer, Edginton lost consciousness while playing a slot machine. After regaining consciousness, he left the casino and drove home. “He started to feel the effects again,” said Chamber, “and lost consciousness while driving on the freeway, colliding with a cement barrier and (suffered) injuries.”

Chamber said a review of surveillance video “clearly showed Maldonado taking a small cylinder shaped vial from her bra and pouring a substance into Edgington’s beer while he was using the restroom.” During the investigation, detectives discovered a similar incident that occurred on April 5, 2012.

Gabriel Mcurad, 66, recalled talking to Maldonado when he suddenly lost consciousness. Mcurad woke up to discover he was missing cash, then discovering Maldonado was gone. Another suspect, Dollar, was with Maldonado, said Chamber, “acting as a look-out for her.”
Several days later, Maldonado returned to the casino where she was detained by casino security, later arrested by sheriff’s deputies and banned from the casino for one year.

Last November 28, another victim, Ralph Imbelloni, 74, believed he was “roofied and robbed” by an unknown Hispanic female while gambling at San Manuel. When surveillance video was obtained, Maldonado was identified as a suspect. Chamber said it revealed that Chapman was holding Imbelloni “up on his chair while he was unconscious so Maldonado could take cash and a cell phone from his pocket and quickly leave the location.”

Investigators believe the unknown substance used in drugging the three victims was either ecstasy, GHB or ketamine, based on each victim’s reactions. Dollar, said authorities, was on probation when he was arrested last December 14 for conspiracy to commit willful poisoning and robbery.

Ten days earlier, detectives served a search warrant at Maldonado’s and Chapman’s residence in the 8300 block of Madera Ave. in Hesperia. Detectives located a small cylinder-shaped vial containing an unknown residue.

Both suspects, who were not at home during the search, became aware of the investigation and “attempted to avoid law enforcement.” After arrest warrants were issued, detectives finally arrested Maldonado and Chapman on February 5, located at their residence.
The San Manuel Casino is located at 777 San Manuel Blvd. in Highland, which neighbors San Bernardino.

Read More:

ABC7: 3 arrested for drugging, robbing

The Sun: Three held in drugging of patrons

BAKERSFIELD — A man wanted on sex offenses and a probation violation was arrested on Friday afternoon after crashing his vehicle while running from police.

Mario Mancha, 37, of Bakersfield, will be booked into the Kern County Jail on multiple charges ranging from possession of drugs, reckless driving, resisting arrest, parole violation and several sexually related offenses with a juvenile.

His bail will be set at $131,500.

According to the Bakersfield Police Department, Mancha’s arrest occurred at around 1:30 p.m. on February 6, after officers spotted him driving a vehicle in the area of Panorama Drive and River Boulevard in Bakersfield.

“Officers attempted to pull over the vehicle Mr. Mancha was driving, but he failed to yield,” said BPD Public Information Officer Joe Grubbs. “Initially the suspect drove away slowly, but then tried to speed away leading officers on a pursuit.”

According to officers, they followed Mancha, who after striking another vehicle at the intersection of “Q” and 34th Street, lost control of his vehicle, striking a light pole on the northwest corner.

Unhurt, Mancha crawled from the vehicle and ran away on foot before he was apprehended a short distance away by a police canine.

Mancha was transported to an area hospital with minor injuries as a result of the engagement with the police canine.

A subsequent search of the Mancha’s vehicle resulted in the recovery of a large amount of drugs and drug paraphernalia, as well as ammunition.

He will be booked for the outstanding warrants and additional narcotics and ammunition charges after he is released from the hospital.

Read more:

KERO: Man wanted by BPD leads them on chase

Sac Bee: Man suspected of sexual offenses nabbed after chase

A man was arrested of attacking a deputy and possession of firearms at a gas station in Dunnigan on the morning of February 5.

The altercation began at the Chevron Station located on County Road 6 near the Interstate 5 off ramp, when sheriff’s deputies contacted a man and two women in a vehicle parked nearby.

“Pursuant to a consent search of the vehicle, deputies located two homemade firearms, both loaded and capable of being fired,” announced Sheriff’s Capt. Larry Cecchettini. “The male subject was detained in a patrol vehicle pending further investigation. Deputies also located, inside the vehicle, a suspicious yellow substance in three different containers,” he said. After an investigation by the Yolo County Bomb Squad, the FBI and other agencies, the yellow substance was deemed harmless.

Justin Virga was arrested at the same location – image from Facebook

Deputies were in for a surprise when they opened the patrol vehicle’s rear door to formally charge the man for possession of the firearms. He leaped out and attacked one of the deputies. It took several deputies to subdue the man during an ensuing struggle and ultimately take him into custody. The man was later identified as 22-year-old Cameron Stiles of Gresham Oregon, which is just east of Portland.

Cecchettini didn’t state what happened to the two women, but the Davis Enterprise reported that Jodi L. Cox, 27 and also of Gresham, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia, and the other woman, 51 years of age, was not cited for any offense.

Within 20 minutes, at 12:19, deputies arrested another man, 39-year-old Justin Matthew Virga of Citrus Heights at the same gas station. He was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and destroying evidence. The Sheriff’s department did not state if these incidents were related.

John Turkovich and Lea Morgan – images Facebook

Later that afternoon, just a mile up the road from the Chevron Station, at the northbound Interstate 5 rest stop in Dunnigan, deputies arrested a man and woman, John Mark Turkovich, 54, and Lea Justann Morgan, 44. Turkovich was charged with possession and selling marijuana or hashish, and a violation of his probation. Morgan was charged with possession of a controlled substance and violating her post release supervision. The pair were arrested just after 4 pm. They both live in far north California, in Humboldt County. Turkovich is from Loleta, about 15 miles south of Eureka, where Morgan resides.

Read More:

The Davis Enterprise: Two arrested in Dunnigan weapon, hazmat probe

CrimeVoice Staff contributed to this story

SACRAMENTO—A Sacramento teenager was killed by gunfire early Sunday morning, February 8  in South Sacramento, and a man with a history of violence and substance abuse was arrested in North Sacramento.

According to the Sacramento Police Department, the shooting was reported at approximately 2:19 a.m. near Wainscott Way, just south of Florin Road. But when officers arrived at the scene they were unable to find a victim or even evidence that somebody had been shot,

However they learned that a young man had been taken to a hospital to be treated for the wound, and was pronounced dead soon after reaching the hospital.

Detectives canvassed the area and believe the victim was targeted and knew his attacker. No arrests have yet been made in the case and homicide detectives are reaching out to witnesses.

The Sacramento Police Department urges anyone with information about this incident to contact Crime Alert at (916) 443-HELP (4357) or text in a tip to 274637 (CRIMES). Enter SACTIP followed by the tip information. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

Maha has been arrested multiple times at a home on Andrea Blvd near Elkhorn.

Later on Sunday, at 4:35 in the afternoon, Sacramento Sheriff’s deputies were called to a home on the 5100 block of Andrea Blvd. in north Sacramento, near the Elkhorn Plaza Shopping Center. 23-year-old Sacramento area transient Tafilele Po Maha was arrested for trespassing after he had been ordered to leave, and assault by means of force likely to cause great bodily injury. This incident was likely related to a domestic violence incident that occurred in April of 2014 at the same location.

But this weekend started for Maha with an arrest on Friday, just two days earlier at that home, for being drunk in public. In between those two incidents, he was arrested on Saturday night at 11:45 in downtown Sacramento, at J Street and 29th, also for public intoxication.

Prior to this weekend, while living at an address in Rio Linda, he was arrested four times in December and January for public intoxication. And on Sunday, November 30 at 4:45 in the afternoon, he was arrested by Highway Patrol officers near the corner of Watt Avenue and A Street, in North Highlands near the McClellan Air Base. He was charged with driving a vehicle under the influence of a controlled substance, and assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury.

The domestic violence incident occurred when Maha, who is listed as 5’9″ and 200 pounds, was charged with assault with deadly force, related to a violation of a domestic violence court order, and a charge of abuse, which were recorded at the same Andrea Blvd. location on April 23 of last year. No records of the incident resulting in the court order were available.

His latest arrest should qualify as a third strike offense as a violent criminal, and may result in more extended jail or prison time if convicted.

CrimeVoice staff contributed to this report

SANTA ROSA – The Santa Rosa Area California Highway Patrol rounded up 21 people over the weekend for various traffic related violations. Four of the arrests involved habitual DUI offenders.

On Saturday evening at about 8 pm, an officer in the vicinity of Lakeville Highway and Old Lakeville #2 saw a Chevrolet heading southbound at a high rate of speed. The officer clocked the vehicle at 77 mph in a 55 mph zone and soon thereafter made an enforcement stop. The driver was found to have a suspended license since 2010. The officer noticed signs of intoxication as well as an opened bottle of whiskey on the back seat. The officer arrested the driver after a DUI investigation. The driver was identified as 28-year old Derek Krutsinger of Stockton. Krutsinger also had other warrants out for his arrest and multiple convictions, including a DUI and driving on a suspended license. He was booked and charged with DUI and driving while under suspension.

Reynaldo Robles-Baez was arrested near Stony Point and Todd Roads.

Shortly after 1 am Sunday, officers on patrol in the vicinity of Stony Point Road and Todd Road saw an Acura SUV ahead of them that was repeatedly applying brakes while weaving in the roadway. After the enforcement stop the officers noted a strong smell of marijuana. The driver was also unable to provide any identification or vehicle information. He also displayed signs of impairment, and subsequently failed a roadside sobriety test. The driver was arrested for DUI and his vehicle was impounded. He was identified as 29-year-old Reynaldo Robles-Baez of Santa Rosa. Robles-Baez had a suspended driver’s license related to two prior DUI convictions.

Highway 101 where Karen Marquez (Facebook) was spotted speeding.

Shortly before 5 pm on Sunday, officers responded to a report of a reckless driver on southbound Highway 101 south of Geyserville. An officer entering the freeway at Lytton Springs Road saw the Chevrolet Impala pass by him at a high rate of speed. He confirmed the speed at 86 mph, and made an enforcement stop just south of Healdsburg. The driver showed signs of intoxication, so the officer began a DUI evaluation. The driver was found to be 3 times over the legal limit and was booked on charges of DUI, driving while suspended, and violation of probation. The driver was identified as 27-year-old Karen Marquez of Kelseyville. Marquez was found to have had 8 prior suspensions and was on probation for 2 previous DUI convictions.

Antonio Nunez was found at Rohnert Park Expressway and Commerce after being spotted by an off duty officer.

And at approximately 5 pm Sunday, a passing motorist flagged down A CHP officer on Rohnert Park Expressway. The motorist identified himself as an off-duty San Francisco police officer. He stated that he had seen a Toyota Camry that had been speeding, weaving and almost causing several collisions. The CHP officer shortly found the vehicle at Commerce Boulevard. He made an enforcement stop and contacted the driver and noticed signs of intoxication. The driver failed field sobriety tests and was booked on charges of DUI and driving while suspended. The driver was identified as 41-year-old Antonio Nunez of Cotati. Nunez has had a suspended license since 2006 and has 2 prior DUI convictions.

SANTA ROSA – Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office Deputies were dispatched to a burglary in-progress in the 600 block of Toy Lane near Boyes Hot Springs just before 2:30 am on Sunday. A homeowner called 911 after he had encountered an intruder in his home.

The resident and his wife had just awakened to care for their baby when they heard sounds emanating from their kitchen. The man went to investigate and found a stranger tangled-up in the drapes of a sliding glass door. He pushed the man outside and immediately called the Sheriff’s Office.

When the Deputies arrived the man reported that nothing had been taken from his home, however he turned over a cell phone that was likely dropped by the suspect. The man had said that he found it on the ground outside his home playing music. He also provided the Deputies with a complete description of the suspect.

Kiser was caught trying another house in this area later that night.

Less than 2-½ hours later, Deputies were dispatched to another residential burglary in-progress not far from Toy Lane in the 18000 block of El Nino Court. The victim reported to 911 that there was an unknown man in his backyard attempting to open his rear sliding glass door.

The homeowner said that he was sleeping when he heard someone trying to open the glass sliding door to his bedroom. He then armed himself with a baseball bat and yelled at the suspect repeatedly that he was already on the phone with police.

When the Deputies arrived, they found the man standing in the backyard near the glass door. The suspect matched the description provided in the earlier break-in.

The suspect was identified as 18-year-old Toby Jordan Kiser of Sonoma. He was arrested and booked into County Jail for burglary of an inhabited dwelling and attempted burglary. His bail was set at $80,000 and he is due to appear in court on February 10 at 1:30.

TEHACAHPI — A man hauling a dead body in the bed of his truck was arrested on Monday afternoon after leading police on a high-speed pursuit through the deserts of eastern Kern County.

William Patterson, 34, was booked into the Kern County Jail for being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm, felony evading a peace officer and illegal disposal of a body. His bail has been set at $55,000.

According to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the chain of events began at around 2:30 a.m. on February 9, when deputies were advised of man armed with a rifle, driving around Mojave and California City with the body of a deceased person in the bed of his red Ford pickup truck.

At around 4 a.m., California City police officers spotted Patterson and attempted to stop the vehicle he was driving. However, Patterson refused, leading officers on a 100-mile-per-hour, 20-minute pursuit, which ended when officers lost him on a dirt road.

The abandoned truck was later located on Tehachapi Willow Springs Road near Oak Creek Road, southeast of downtown Tehachapi, with the body of an unknown deceased male victim in the bed.

Patterson, who was hiding in the surrounding foothills where the vehicle was found, was taken into custody at around 12 p.m. without further incident by deputies from the sheriff’s department and members of the Bakersfield Police Department SWAT teams.

Read more:

Tehachapi News: Suspect arrested following manhunt

Bakersfield Now: Tehachapi manhunt details: body in truck

WASCO — A 40-year-old pedestrian is in the hospital and the 21-year-old driver that put him there is behind bars.

Josh Sanchez was booked into the Kern County Jail on felony DUI with injury, DUI over .08 causing injury and speeding. His bail has been set at $40,000.

According to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the Sanchez, who was intoxicated and driving under the influence of alcohol, struck Jorge Gomez in the 1900 block Shamrock Court at around 12:30 a.m. on February 8.

Deputies arrived on scene and found Gomez suffering from severe injuries to his head and legs. He was transported to the hospital with major injuries.

Sanchez was subsequently taken into custody with a blood alcohol level was at .12, while traveling above the posted speed limit when he stuck Gomez with his vehicle.

Read more:

KERO: Man arrested for DUI after hitting man

A Mendocino man with a long history of troubles with the law has been arrested once again after disappearing into the wooded area east of the town of Mendocino, along the Big River Haul Road on the banks of the river that empties into the Mendocino Bay south of the town.

Riley Gordon Kiesel‘s history is that of a man with alcohol issues who has been engaged in growing and selling marijuana illegally, but who has also turned violent on several occasions. Back in December of 2004, when he was 21, he was in an accident when he was driving along Little Lake Road in Mendocino, near where he was living, and lost control at a curve due to his excessive speed. The car overturned, but he and the 17-year-old boy who was with him were not seriously injured, according to the Ukiah Daily Journal. He was arrested for DUI, however, and his underage passenger was arrested for being drunk in public.

Kiesel was arrested again in June of 2005 for DUI, and an outstanding warrant, likely from failing to appear for the prior offense, according to arrest records. In March of 2007 he was charged with driving on a license suspended for DUI, selling marijuana, and violating parole.

Then in August 2009 he was arrestd for cultivating and selling marijuana, but he was also charged with battery, making criminal threats, and brandishing a firearm in the presence of a peace officer. A year and a half later he was arrested for resisting or obstructing and officer on duty. A year after that, in March of 2011, he faced another parole violation for being under the influence of a controlled substance.

Dick’s Place in Mendocino.

The next year, in May of 2012, according to a story in the Ukiah Daily Journal, Kiesel was at a Mendocino bar called Dick’s Place at 1:30 am. He had been previously banished from the business, and the bartender, Alexander Behounek, told him to leave. Kiesel reportedly argued and threatened Behounek with a knife, but was ultimately forced out of the building. He had apparently been waiting around outside until 3:20 a.m., when Behounek closed the business, and was about to drive home. Kiesel jumped in front of his car, and when Behounek got out, Kiesel stabbed him in the abdomen. An emergency call resulted in Kiesel’s arrest at about 3:30, and Behounek’s airlift to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Kiesel was later convicted of the assault, and sentenced to serve one year in jail, followed by 6 months of residential treatment, and at least four weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meetings per week for the full term of his probation. He must have been released early, because in February of 2013 he was in Arcata, a town just north of Eureka and about 150 miles from Mendocino. Late at night, Arcata police reported that Kiesel was detained on suspicion of possession and use of a controlled substance. While they investigated, Kiesel took off running down a nearby alley. His intoxicated state most probably made catching up to him that much easier, and he was soon re-captured, cuffed and arrested for resisting arrest. He also had a loaded firearm with him, and he was charged with carrying a concealed and loaded firearm in public, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, along with probation violations.

All of that led up to last month, when on Friday, January 23, Mendocino Sheriff’s Deputies were attempting to contact Kiesel on an outstanding warrant issued by Humboldt County, likely because he failed to appear for a court date from his arrest up there. They tried to contact him at a home out on Crestwood Drive, a wooded area on the bluffs about Big River, just east of Highway 1 and the main part of the town of Mendocino. He was there when they arrived, but ran out the back, headed down the hills towards Big River Haul Road and the river.

Kiesel’s latest arrest came at his residence on Little Lake Road.

The deputies initiated a search for him, enlisting the aid of Highway Patrol officers, California State Park Rangers and Fish & Wildlife Wardens, Fort Bragg police, and two of the Sheriff’s K9 units. After a couple of hours, they gave up the search, and notified the public via a reverse 911 call that he was wanted and at large, wearing black jeans, a blue jacket, a purple bandana, and carrying a large green backpack. The public was warned that he may be armed and dangerous.

The search continued for almost two weeks, when on Tuesday, February 4 deputies tried once again at his last known address, on Little Lake Road. This time he was more easily detained, as the deputies found him outside in a marijuana garden. He was arrested without putting up resistance, though he was found to be carrying a concealed knife.  In addition to the outstanding Humboldt County warrant, he was charged with illegal marijuana cultivation and probation violations. He was booked into the Mendocino County Jail with a no-bail status.

Read More: The Anderson Valley Advertiser

The former junior high science teacher accused of sexual battery showed up in Yolo Superior Court on February 10 to plead not guilty to the misdemeanor charge.

John Anthony O’Brien, 40, is due to return to court on March 10 for a pretrial conference requested by his attorney, Ken Moyal. The defense counsel said he needs more time to conduct his investigation, which will include interviews of potential witnesses who could provide insights into the relationship between O’Brian and his alleged victim.

“We’re going to need to talk to these folks,” Moyal told visiting Yolo Superior Court Judge Stephen Mock during the brief arraignment hearing. “It’s not just one person [who’s involved] — it’s several.”

The legal case against O’Brien got underway in the wake of a report made to police by a 16-year-old boy, a former Harper Junior High School student whom O’Brien was mentoring. This boy told police that O’Brien had touched him inappropriately while visiting the boy’s home on the night of September 14, 2014. Six weeks later Davis Police obtained a warrant for O’Brien’s arrest. He was cited and released. He is still out of custody.

In an interview with the Davis Enterprise prior to the arraignment, Moyal stated his client was “blindsided” by the boy’s allegations.

O’Brien, who had taught in the Davis Joint Unified School District for 15 years, was placed on administrative leave two days after the police report was filed. The district also initiated termination proceedings, but those ended in December when O’Brien resigned.

Whether or not he will be able to keep his teaching certificate depends on the outcome of the trial.

Read More: The Davis Enterprise

A Sacramento resident charged with firebombing a Vacaville woman’s home in a plot engineered by the ex-boyfriend she had dumped, a former Baptist minister, appeared in court briefly on February 4.

Anthony Newbolt, 33, made a brief appearance in Solano County Superior Court at which a sentencing date was postponed. Newbolt had previously made a deal with prosecutors in the arson case involving the former minister of Fellowship Baptist Church and two other accomplices, who are Sacramento residents.

Prosecutors had expected Newbolt to testify in the trial of Mark W. Lewis last month, but the trial came to a sudden end when the former pastor/firebombing mastermind pleaded no contest to arson and stalking charges.

The case stemmed from the Jan. 9, 2014 firebombing of a home on Chateau Circle in Vacaville, where Lewis’ ex-girlfriend lived with several of her family members. Early that morning, someone tossed a Molotov cocktail, consisting of a Snapple bottle filled with a flammable liquid and a rag wick, that had been lit on fire hurled through a window of the home. No one was injured.

Minutes later, a Vacaville police officer stopped the U-Haul truck in which Newbolt was riding with co-defendants Richard Wright, 28, and Kristen Broyles, 30, of Citrus Heights. During a later interview with police investigators, Newbolt said that Lewis had driven him to the neighborhood on two separate occasions to scout it out, and added he knew it was the home of a woman Lewis was having problems with.

Perhaps when Lewis assembled the team, he enlisted Newbolt because he was aware of his past history as a criminal. Newbolt was arrested back in January of 2006 for grand theft and conspiracy, and later for marijuana transportation and sales. Since then, records show several arrests for unspecified probation violations, and post-release supervision “flash incarcerations”, when a supervised parolee is found to be in violation of the terms.

In November, Kristen Broyles was sentenced to 16 months behind bars following an earlier no-contest plea to being an accessory after the fact to arson. Richard Wright, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of arson of an inhabited structure and possession of flammable or explosive material, will have a jury trial that will begin March 17.

A sentencing date for Newbolt was set for March 30.

Suspect Threaten Officers ‘With Suicide By Cop’

CAPITOLA—Capitola Police responded to an armed robbery call at the Bank of the West on Capitola Road early Saturday morning. Santa Cruz County authorities arrested 61-year-old Richard Gene Blackman hours later after deputies located his car in the parking lot of a local Elementary School.

According to witnesses, 61-year-old Richard Gene Blackman of Los Gatos walked into the Bank of the West branch located on the corner of 38^th Street and Capitola Road armed with a sawed-off shotgun. He demanded money from the bank employees, and after obtaining an undetermined amount of cash grabbed an employee and kidnapped her by taking her out to her vehicle.

He ordered the employee into the car, but she convinced him to let her go and for him to take her car instead. The Capitola Police Department issued a countywide alert for the car and the suspect. Blackman was described as a 5’11” white male with gray hair and blue eyes, weighing approximately 210 pounds.

Blackman didn’t go far, parking at Live Oak Elementary School.

A Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Deputy spotted the stolen vehicle parked in the parking lot of the Live Oak Elementary School, which is less than a mile from the bank down Captiola Road. Blackman was still inside the vehicle with the shotgun.

He exited the vehicle and threatened the deputies with “suicide by cop” several times, by trying to cause them to shoot him, before he decided to try and take his own life. When he began to position the shotgun a Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Deputy grabbed him, pulling the gun from him.

Officers from the California Highway Patrol and Capitola Police Department assisted at the scene of the arrest. Blackman, who listed his occupation as a plumber, was taken into custody and without further incident. The shotgun, the stolen money and the vehicle were all recovered.

Subjects Were Spotted Driving At A High-rate Of Speed

HOLLISTER—An officer with the Hollister Police Department pulled over a vehicle after he witnessed it driving down Monterey Street at a high rate of speed. The officer arrested the driver, Nathaniel Garza, after he showed signs of being intoxicated. He also arrested his brother, Bryan Matthew Garza, on warrants and being intoxicated. The third subject, Everet Copado, was arrested for being intoxicated while under age.

On Wednesday, January 31, Officer Garcia was on patrol when he noticed a dark vehicle speed down Monterey Street. He attempted to catch up with it, but the driver made a couple of quick turns in an attempt to evade the pursuit.

Wentz Alley, where the three were caught after a brief chase.

Officer Garcia was eventually able to catch up to the vehicle and preform a high-risk traffic stop in Wentz Alley near West Street. Immediately he noticed that 21-year-old Nathaniel Garza was showing signs of intoxication. He arrested him for driving under the influence of alcohol, and false registration tags.

A check of the other occupants in the car showed that the driver’s brother, Bryan Garza, 22, was wanted on four warrants. Bryan also had a concealed switchblade knife in his possession. He had been arrested in June 2014 for DUI, possessing a drug without a prescription, and resisting arrest. Prior to that, in February, Sunnyvale police arrested him for public intoxication. Officer Garcia placed him in custody for the warrants and the concealed weapon.

An image from Everet Copado’s Facebook page, possibly showing him (center) with Nathaniel and Bryan Garza.

The third occupant, the youngest of the three, 20-year-old Everet Copado, was also showing signs of being intoxicated and was arrested after officers pulled him from the opened beer cans that surrounded him in the back seat. Copado’s arrest records show a July 2014 charge of peeking into an inhabited building, and a September arrest on an outstanding warrant for that case.

VENTURA- A man who pleaded guilty to the stabbing murders of a Faria Beach couple and their unborn child has been sentenced by a Ventura County Judge to three consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole.

Joshua Graham Packer, 25, appeared in court on Friday, February 6th to receive his sentence for the 2009 home invasion robbery, sexual assault and murders of a pregnant Davina Husted and her husband, Brock Husted.

The Husted’s were stabbed to death at their Faria Beach house in May of 2009. Packer, 19 at the time, entered the Husted home through an unlocked door and demanded money from the couple. After the couple complied, he then sexually assaulted Davina Husted before stabbing her 30 times. She was 6 months pregnant. Brock Husted was stabbed approximately 20 times. Their 9 year old son and 11 year old daughter were also in the home but were not physically harmed by Packer during the incident.

Joshua Packer booking photo

Packer was only arrested and charged with the Husted murders after being arrested for an unrelated felony burglary. His DNA sample matched DNA that was found at the Husted crime scene and he was formally charged with their murders in April of 2010. After almost 5 years of legalities, Packer pleaded guilty in December of 2014 in exchange for prosecutors agreeing not to seek the death penalty. Judge Patricia Murphy referred to Packer as “one of the worst of the worst” during his sentencing on Friday.

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Suspects were from Sacramento area

SALINAS—The word “vacation” is defined as a period of time that a person spends away from home, school or work, usually in order to relax or travel. Well, two guys from Sacramento took the time off to travel, but forgot to relax.

On Tuesday, February 3, while vacationing in what John Steinbeck coined ‘East of Eden’, the two young men were driving down Monterey Street with two young women in the car when they went through an intersection. Normally this would not be a problem, but in this case they were in the right turn only lane. Unfortunately for them a Salinas Police Motor Officer saw them.

Still not a problem, If they would have pulled over and explained to the officer that they were from out of town and did not know the streets. However, when the officer attempted to pull them over, the car bolted for the freeway.

As they approached the overpass, the passenger in the front seat decided to get rid of the .357 caliber handgun that he was hiding by tossing it out the window. As he did, the gun discharged a bullet into the dashboard of the gray Chevy Cruze they were driving.

Earle drove up this off-ramp, and then came back down before crashing.

The driver decided to head north on Highway 101 from North Main Street. He drove between cars in traffic in an attempt to get through quickly. He then exited the freeway at the next off-ramp, West Laurel Drive, but instead of making the turn onto the street, he made a U-turn and headed down the same off-ramp driving against traffic.

Now driving southbound in the northbound lanes, it was not long before the he lost control and crashed into an embankment. The young men left the two passengers behind as they ran from the vehicle. The two females were later released, the two guys escaped, and the investigation continued.

The next day, detectives with the Salinas Police Department spotted the two females that were released from custody the day prior walking with two gentlemen in the area of Prader and Alisal Streets. The two girls were contacted and admitted to being in the vehicle.

Earle, White, and the two females were seen the next day in this area.

Detectives then addressed the two males and took them into custody. Officers found evidence that showed the suspect 20-year-old Brandon Alexander Earle of Sacramento was the driver of the vehicle, and that his friend 19-year-old Daniel White of Sacramento was the person who threw the gun out of the window.

Both suspects were taken into custody and lodged into the Monterey County Jail. One of the two girls was only 16 years old and was placed with Child Protective Services.

Earle was charged with felony evading, along with outstanding warrants out of Sacramento. Records show he was arrested by Rancho Cordova police on November 14 for inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or co-habitant (domestic violence), abuse, and committing a felony while released on bail. Prior to that, in March of 2014, he was charged with robbery, attempted robbery, possession of stolen property, and resisting arrest. He had been arrested originally by Rancho Cordova police on March 6 at the Mar-Rita Apartments on Mather Field Road for robbery and possession of a controlled substance, which he brought into jail when he was booked, adding another charge to the list. His failure to appear in court resulted in the arrest warrants.

Danile White was charged with carrying a loaded weapon. White also had prior arrests, according to available records. On October 9 he was picked up for possession of a controlled substance, and on January 31 of 2014 he was charged with battery on a person on public transportation, such as a bus driver, train operator, or passenger. Details of those incidents were not available.

It was late Sunday night, February 8, and the China Garden Restaurant in the Stony Plaza shopping center had been closed for over two hours. Stony Plaza is located on Stony Point Road near Highway 12 in west central Santa Rosa. Two young men forced open the door and went inside.

While they were inside, they must have tried to get all the cash out of the register. But the register was locked, and they could not pry it open. Having gone to all the trouble of breaking in, they must have decided that they should just take the whole register, and figure out how to open it later, when they had time and tools, and didn’t have to worry about being interrupted. (They may not have been aware that most businesses keep less than two hundred dollars in cash overnight, depositing the rest throughout the day. Or maybe that was enough for them.)

As the pair formulated their plan, it was determined that 18-year-old James Dean Peralta would carry the register out the door. But what the pair did not know is that a security guard patrolling the shopping center had already seen them breaking in, and notified Santa Rosa police.

According to the Santa Rosa Police, as the pair were leaving, the police cars were already arriving. The security guard observed them come out the door, and when the pair spotted the police, they immediately fled on foot. Peralta, however, was encumbered with the heavy register, and could not keep up with his partner in crime. He finally ditched the machine and ran for it, but he was soon captured by police as they established a perimeter and enlisted their K9 officers to help. The security guard confirmed that Peralta was the one he had seen leaving with the register.

The search continued, but the other young man got away. Police described him as a white male, 19 to 20 years old, wearing a green hoodie and light pants.

James Dean Peralta was booked at the Sonoma County Main Detention Center on charges of commercial burglary, with bail set at $10,000.