REDLANDS – Police are raising awareness than IRS telephone scams are on the rise, hoping the public doesn’t fall prey to phony callers as the tax deadline approaches.

Police spokesman Carl Baker said increasing reports are coming in to various agencies, warning that callers are claiming to be IRS agents threatening aggressive action against the victim unless a bill is not paid immediately. Baker referred to an IRS website, warning that “aggressive and threatening phone calls by criminals impersonating IRS agents remain near the top of the agency’s annual ‘dirty dozen’ list of tax scams for the 2015 filing season.”

Baker said the IRS website warns potential victims that “if someone calls unexpectedly claiming to be from the IRS with aggressive threats if you don’t pay immediately, it’s a scam artist calling.”

Taxpayers have rights, said the IRS, and “the first IRS contact with taxpayers is usually through the mail.” Anything, according to the IRS site, “is not how we do business.” Baker did not report any arrests. An IRS release instructed possible victims not to engage the people over the phone. One police agency said that reports will be taken only if there has been a crime committed.

Scammers are able to alter caller ID numbers to make it seem as if the IRS is calling, using fake names and bogus IRS badge numbers. They often leave urgent callback requests, preying on the most vulnerable people, including elderly, newly arrived immigrants and those whose first language is not English.
Scammers, according to Baker’s release, “have been known to impersonate agents from the IRS Criminal Investigation as well.” Callers may demand money, or might say a refund is due and try to pry private information away from potential victims.

According to the IRS website, the IRS will never engage in the following:
• Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.
• Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
• Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.
• Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
• Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.

If anyone should receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS asking for money, contact the IRS (1-800-829-1040) to clarify any owed taxes. If anyone receiving a call doesn’t owe taxes or have any reason to believe they do, report the incident at 1-800-366-4484, or at tigta.gov.

Read More:

IRS: Tax scams/consumer alerts

IRS: 5 easy ways to spot suspicious calls

FRESNO – Police arrested a Bulldog gang member who allegedly attempted to flee apprehension in a stolen vehicle on Saturday evening. 29-year-old Sergio Blanco was booked into the Fresno County Jail on felony evading and auto-theft-related charges on Saturday.

…..and ended near here

The chase between the suspect and police began around 6:40 p.m. when the Violent Crime Impact Team, with the Fresno Police Department, saw a stolen 1998 Ford Explorer being driven near First Street and Princeton Avenue.

The suspect apparently spotted the police following, and took off toward Highway 168, running red lights along the way. The driver reached excessive speeds on the highway during the chase, and a police helicopter was brought in to help track him.

Blanco left the stolen vehicle near the Bullard Avenue exit and tried to run away, but officers from the Fresno Police Department, Clovis Police Department and Fresno County Sheriff’s Department used search dogs to locate the suspect, who was found hiding inside the garage of an apartment, authorities said.

PETALUMA – The Petaluma Police Department has been well aware of an increase of transient related calls for service, and especially in the vicinity of Schollenberger Park. Officers from the department surveyed the area and contacted those living in the park. A plan to clean up the area was created, and then they brought in resources to assist the homeless population needing services.

Several people gathered Saturday, March 21, to clean up the park and the surrounding wetlands. The majority of debris found along the Petaluma River had been the result of transient camps in the area. One camp consisted of a sizable shelter that had been constructed on site. It even had separate rooms and large support beams to shore it up.

Debris was collected from the area for safe disposal.

County Supervisor David Rabbitt’s Office helped the Petaluma PD with a crew to assist in the clean-up. Volunteers came from the Mary Isaak Center, the Petaluma Wetlands Alliance, the City of Petaluma Harbor Master’s Office, the Petaluma Sea Scouts, and the City of Petaluma Public Works, along with many residents of the city.

The largest camp was cleaned up with the help of a homeless individual who had recently lived there. He was able to get residency help at the Mary Isaak Center.

Over 2 tons of material was removed from the camps in the wetlands vicinity. Volunteer crews utilized boats from the Harbor Master’s Office to ferry the material from the banks of the park back to the Petaluma Marina, where is was off-loaded into large debris boxes.

The Petaluma Police Department also issued a Community Bulletin today thanking all of those who volunteered their time to help restore Schollenberger Park.

SAN BERNARDINO – Two days after a fatal shooting that killed a San Bernardino man, police arrested a 20-year-old suspect and seek the identification of a second man believed to have taken part in the Saturday afternoon incident.

Kevin Dewayne Jones, Jr., 20, of San Bernardino was arrested after police were able to get the license plate of the car he was driving on Saturday afternoon, March 21.

At 1:38 p.m. police received a “shots fired” call at the Valero gas station at the intersection of 40th Street and Kendall Drive. Sergeant Carl Williams said a second call informed officers that Mark Anthony Garcia, 27, was a victim in the Valero shooting, and had been taken to a residence in the 400 block of West 48th Street, and that the victim would then be taken to the hospital. After being transferred to St. Bernardine’s Hospital, Garcia was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m.

Garcia was riding in a car driven by Esteban Abarca, 22, of San Bernardino, police reported. Having stopped at the Valero station to get gas, Garcia exchanged words with two black male adults who were parked next to a nearby pump.

When Abarca and Garcia drove away, one of the suspects fired several shots at them, striking the car several times. Garcia was struck by one bullet. During the investigation, detectives obtained the license plate number of Jones’ car, a gray Nissan Maxima. Jones, identified as the driver of the Maxima, was arrested on Sunday night and taken to San Bernardino Jail.

Abarca’s condition was not released. Williams said “Investigators are aware that there were other citizens present at the business when the shooting occurred.” Police are hoping that others will step forward to add details to the crime.

Read More:

Highland Community News: Suspect identified in SB shooting

The Sun: Suspect arrested in shooting of tattoo artist

SACRAMENTO —Sacramento County deputies arrested a man following a bizarre and brutal attack with a medieval-type weapon early Monday morning, March 23.

The assault of a woman in her 50s happened near the corner of Auburn Blvd. and Garfield Avenue, near Madison Avenue and Interstate 80. She was walking her dog home from her boyfriend’s house at 4:15 a.m. She was attacked with a mace, a Medieval-style weapon that can be described as a club with a spiked ball on the end.

The Sacramento Sheriff’s Department said a patrol deputy was driving on Garfield near Auburn Blvd. when he saw what looked like bodies in the street.

“She was bleeding all over” said witness Lisa French. “[The weapon] had a handle and spikes coming out of it. Bizarre.”

The victim told deputies that a man killed her dog and then came after her with the mace. The dog, described as a chubby dachshund mix, was later found alive. The woman, who had a punctured skull, was taken to an emergency room.

Police arrested Travis Lanning, 34, who witnesses reported didn’t say a word when he was arrested.

“Eight to 10 cops had him on the ground,” said French. “They had his head covered. They tried to get him up. He wouldn’t get up. They ended up carrying him to the police car.”

Investigators believe the attack may have been random. Photos on the suspect’s Facebook page show him posing and smiling with a similar style silver mace. His posts also indicate his interests in Everquest, a popular Medieval-style computer game.

Lanning was booked in to the Sacramento County Jail facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon and mayhem. His first court appearance is March 25 at 1:30 p.m. Lanning’s bail was set at $50,000. Records show Lanning was arrested in August last year for public intoxication.

Read/View more:

KCRA: Deputies: Sacramento woman beaten with medieval-style weapon

Fox 40: Deputies: Man Attacks Woman with Medieval Mace in Sacramento

UKIAH – MENDOCINO COUNTY – Earlier this month, on Thursday March 12, according to information just released by the Mendocino Sheriff’s office, a deputy witnessed the occupant of a pickup truck violate the Paul Buzzo act – the 1970 law that prohibits throwing things, especially hazardous objects like burning cigarettes or matches, from a vehicle.

The deputy was driving along southbound Highway 101 near the Gobbi Street underpass when he witnessed one of two men in the pickup throw something out the window. He pulled the truck over, and when he approached the vehicle, was hit by the smell of marijuana as soon as he spoke to the men. The driver, Guadencia Mendez, 36 of Santa Rosa, not only had a suspended license, but had two outstanding warrants for his arrest. Mendez – also known as Gaudencio Mendez-Zurita, had been arrested in July of last year for speeding and driving without a license, and in November for unsafe speed and a suspended license.

A search of the pickup truck revealed 15 pounds of processed marijuana, packaged and ready to sell. They also had $142,000.00 in cash, apparently from prior sales of marijuana. The second man in the truck, Rolando Rojas-Ramirez, 34 of Freedom, California, was also found to be in possession of cocaine and methamphetamine. Freedom is a small town on the Monterey Bay near Watsonville.

Both men were arrested and booked at the Mendocino County jail on charges of possession and transportation of marijuana for sales, possession of methamphetamine and a controlled substance, and possession of money for use in a drug transaction over $100,000.00. Mendez was also charged with the familiar driving on a suspended license. His bail was set at $40,000, while Rojas-Ramirez’ bail was $30,000.

The Mendocino County Sheriff’s department announced today the resolution of the theft of a big piece of redwood. This wasn’t just any chunk of wood however, it was a redwood burl, a cross section cut from a large tree, with a volume of 90 cubic feet.

Large redwood burl slabs, especially those with interesting shapes and markings, can sell for up to $5,000 and more. They are used by craftspeople to create tables, desktops, countertops, bars, headboards and more. The theft of a large redwood burl from a Mendocino Coast Parks and Recreation property on Highway 20 in Fort Bragg was reported to the Sheriff’s Department last week.

This Redwood Burl slab, from redwoodburl.com, sells for $5200.

The investigation led deputies to Butte County, where the missing burl had been sold for $3,500.00. They also identified three suspects, 49-year-old Charles Kirk Martin, 39-year-old Christopher Maki, and 29-year-old Cassidy Baker, all Fort Bragg residents.

One of the suspects, Christopher Maki, was already in jail. He had been arrested on March 9 on charges of grand theft, passing a fictitious bill, reckless driving and evading a peace officer.

Deputies found Charles Martin at his residence on Babcock Lane, off Highway 20 in south Fort Bragg in the wooded area near Noyo Basin. They interviewed him, and he tried to pass a forged document, perhaps a bill-of-sale for the burl, as genuine. Martin was arrested and booked at the Mendocino County Jail on charges of grand theft, conspiracy, and providing false evidence.

Charges for this incident are still being sought against Maki, as well as the third man, Cassidy Dale Baker. According to available records, Baker has a history of arrests going back to 2007 on charges of peeking into a home, possession of burglary tools, and drug paraphernalia. That was followed in 2010 with a charge for being under the influence of a controlled substance, driving under the influence, and child endangerment. He was charged with a felony probation violation in 2012. Charges for his involvement in the burl theft remain pending further investigation.

The Sacramento Police Department reports two men have been arrested in connection with an assault on a 23-year old Sacramento woman this past weekend. Sacramento Police arrested Armando Pachicano, 19, and Eduardo Cortes, 20, in North Sacramento. Pachicano was arrested in Sacramento as recently as this past January 24 on charges including assault with a deadly weapon likely to produce great bodily harm. Prior to that, he faced charges of vehicle robbery, possession of stolen property, and vandalism after an arrest on December 22, 2014.

At about 1:14 a.m., on Sunday March 22, Sacramento Police responded to a 911 call regarding a woman being assaulted. Subsequent reports indicated the sound of screaming coming from near the 2200 block of Grove Avenue in Sacramento.

Several units responded to the scene and found the woman appeared to have serious injuries resulting from a domestic violence incident. The victim was transported by paramedics to an area hospital, where she is still being treated for life-threatening injuries. Due to the severity of the victim’s injuries, detectives, along with crime scene investigators, responded to the scene.

Cortes fled the scene but was apprehended and detained by officers after a short foot pursuit. After continuing their investigation and interviewing several witnesses, detectives identified Pachicano as an additional suspect. Later that same day, Pachicano was located in North Sacramento and taken into custody. Both suspects were booked into jail on attempted murder charges. Pachicano was also charged with inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or co-habitant, and abuse.

Speeds Reached 100 MPH

HOLLISTER — The Hollister Police Department arrested two teenagers yesterday after they took officers on a ten minute vehicle pursuit through the streets of downtown Hollister. The two teens were driving a stolen car from the night before.

In the early morning hours of March 14, a sergeant from the Hollister Police Department noticed a silver Honda Accord driving with its high beams on. When the sergeant tried to get the driver to dim his high beams, the driver ignored the sergeant and kept driving.

Unfortunately for them, Officer Luis Torbio was nearby and tried to pull over the vehicle, but the driver again failed to stop. As the Honda sped away, a witness reported seeing the front passenger begin to throw what was believed to be marijuana out the window. He also told police that he saw a handgun thrown from the vehicle, but it was picked up by an unknown person.

The pursuit took officers through the streets of downtown Hollister, reaching speeds of 100 MPH. The driver, the older of the teens, did eventually decide to terminate the pursuit by pulling over on Pinnacles National Park Highway between Hillcrest Road and Meridian Street. The 14-year-old passenger attempted to run away, but was quickly apprehended.

The 17-year-old admitted to police that he stole the Honda, and he was taken to San Benito County Juvenile Hall and booked on reckless evading of police, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of burglary tools and violating his parole. The 14-year-old was taken to juvenile hall and booked on charges of destruction of evidence and violating his parole. Police retrieved a baggie that contained remnants of marijuana and a crushed marijuana pipe.

Both juveniles are known to police as participating in a criminal street gang. The Honda was returned to the owner, and police are checking to determine if it was used in any other crimes in Hollister or other neighboring jurisdictions.

He Used An Accelerant To Set Fire To Encampment

SEASIDE—Seaside Police Detectives have made an arrest in a March 13^th incident at campsite at the Laguna Grande Park when a fire engulfed a campsite, severely burning its occupants. Detectives arrested 53-year-old Steven Mark Palmer after an investigation proved he used an accelerant to set fire to the campsite.

On Friday, March 13, firefighters from the Seaside Fire Department, along with firefighters from the Monterey Fire Department, responded to a fire at a campsite in the Laguna Grande Park. The park is frequently used by the homeless. When firefighters and Seaside Police arrived they found three camp occupants who were severely burned by the fire.

Witnesses at the park stated that they did not know what caused the fire. Information was limited, but investigators determined that an accelerant was the primary cause of the fire that completely engulfed the entire campsite.

Laguna Grande Park (Google Maps)

The investigation was taken over by the Seaside Police Department on March 18; they took only six days to come up with evidence that Palmer, who was also burnt in the fire, had used the accelerant to light his victim on fire. There was a second man, who was asleep next to the intended victim, who sustained burns as well.

Palmer was arrested and booked into the Monterey County Jail on charges including two counts of attempted murder, two counts of arson causing great bodily injury, two counts of assault with a caustic chemical, and two counts of arson to an inhabited dwelling.

Palmer’s bail has been set at 2,460,000.00 dollars.

The gunman Scott Dunham (DMV photo)

SAN JOSE – San Jose Police Officer, 38-year-old Michael Johnson, Badge #3718, was shot and killed on Tuesday, March 24, at approximately 6:48 pm. SJPD patrol units had responded to an emergency call in which a man was threatening to kill himself with a firearm.

57-year-old Scott Dunham hit officers with a barrage of bullets, fatally wounding Johnson as he approached the residence. According to Sergeant Enrique Garcia of the SJPD, “Multiple officers had arrived on-scene and were met with gunfire by the suspect, who was in his apartment balcony, armed with a high powered rifle.”

Shots rang out from 2664 Senter Road, apartment 217 in San Jose, where Dunham had waited for police to arrive from his front balcony. Once officers began to fire back, Dunham tried to take cover, but was injured during the confrontation and was later pronounced dead on the outer balcony, eight hours after the incident first started. Police entered the residence around 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday and found his body, fatally wounded from multiple shots. It is unclear if he died from a self inflicted gunshot wound or from officers who had first responded to the scene and returned fire.

Views of the balcony show where Dunham fired from, and was ultimately found. If he had fallen here, he would not have been seen from the ground.

Lights were shattered as gunshots gouged through walls where the suspect once stood. After a barrage of bullets ended, the suspect was thought to have barricaded himself inside the residence, eventually succumbing to his injuries. Garcia said, “The suspect was located deceased in the balcony of his residence.” Responding Mobile Emergency Response Group and Equipment Unit, also known as MERGE, had tried to contact the suspect, but never reached him. He may have been dead from the initial exchange of gunfire.

Duhman’s front door was forced open so officers could gain entry.

It is still unclear as to why the suspect shot at officers. However, it was clear that Dunham was intoxicated during the time of the incident.

Police are asking that residents throughout San Jose and other areas shine a blue light during the night in honor of the fallen officer.

A press conference was held the night of the shooting with San Jose Chief of Police Larry Esquivel and San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo speaking about the event.

SAn Jose officers are wearing a black band around their badges in honor of their fallen comrade.

Chief Esquivel said “This is a sad day for law enforcement and for the police department and our community.” Esquivel explained that the suspect fired from his residence using a high powered rifle as police officers approached from the sidewalk, when the despondent and intoxicated Dunham fatally struck and killed Johnson. Esquivel said, “Fellow officers returned fire, possibly, but unknown, striking the suspect.” Esquivel explained that the suspect was still known to be at his residence as police units locked down the area. “I can assure you that the person responsible for this act will be apprehended,” Esquivel said.

Workers clean the scene in the aftermath of the shooting.

San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said, “This strikes at the heart of all of us here in San Jose and all throughout the region.” He added “Our thoughts go out to the men and women who are out there now in harm’s way.”

A memorial service is expected to be held within the next few days as family members and law enforcement officers throughout California and the United States are expected to pay their respect to the 14-year SJPD veteran.

Crime scene photos by Amy Nilson.

Read More:

Officer Down Memorial Page

ABC 7 News: Photos: San Jose Police escort body of fallen officer

CBS SF Bay Area: SJPD Officer’s Memorial Expected To Draw Law Enforcement Officers From Far Away

On Friday, March 22, 2013, at 7:28 p.m., officers from the Temecula Police Department discovered a man who was bound, unconscious, and had suffered severe injuries at Pete’s Music Store in Old Town Temecula. The victim was later identified as Edward Lawrence Robinson, age 64 from Fallbrook. Robinson had been robbed and assaulted. He succumbed to his injuries the following morning and police deemed his death a homicide. Investigators from the Southwest Station and Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Central Homicide Unit have been looking into the crime ever since.

Investigators have been able to find few leads in the last two years and have once again put out a plea to the public to assist with any information that may help solve the crime. Anyone who was in the business on March 22, 2013 or was in the business complex during that afternoon may have seen something that can assist the investigation. The city of Temecula is offering a $25,000 reward for anyone who provides information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect or suspects.

Victim Larry Robinson (Image: Pat Robinson)

Investigators are sharing composite sketches of two subjects who were seen in the business prior to the incident. While these two men are not suspects, they may have information that could help solve the case. According a press release issued by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department this week, the subjects are described as follows:

• Subject #1 is a thin white male in his twenties, about 5′ 10″ tall, with dark hair and some facial hair. He was wearing a grey long-sleeved t-shirt, grey beanie and dark jeans. He is believed to have tattoos on both arms.
• Subject #2 is a thin Asian male in his twenties, about 5’10” tall, with his spikey hair dyed red with blonde tips. He was wearing a white sleeveless t-shirt and dark pants. He has colorful tattoos on both arms.

Pete’s Music in Temecula

Anyone that may have witnessed this incident or have information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Investigator Baeza of the Riverside Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit at (951) 955-2777, or Investigator Topete of the Southwest Station at (951)-696-3000.

Read More:

UTSanDiego: 1-Year tribute set for slain Fallbrook musician

TAFT – A 36-year old Ford City man was arrested on Monday in Taft for beating up a 32-year-old woman during an argument.

Glenn Reid was booked into the Taft City Jail for kidnapping, spousal abuse, making criminal threats, false imprisonment and child endangerment. According to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred at around 8 p.m. on March 23, when Reid got into a verbal confrontation with a woman at a home in the 500 block of Harrison Street in Ford City.

Upon their arrival, deputies learned that Reid, who was possibly armed with a gun or knife, had choked the woman and threw her, before dragging her over 20 feet across a yard.

Additional officers from Taft Police Department arrived to assist and took Reid into custody without incident. The victim’s one-year-old child was present during parts of the altercation, but was unharmed.

Read more:

KERO: Man arrested in domestic violence situation in Taft

DELANO – A Delano man wanted for stealing farm equipment last December was finally apprehended on Monday.

Raul Lopez Oropeza, 47, was booked into the Kern County jail for receiving stolen property and possession of a stolen vehicle.

The Kern County Sheriff’s Office said that Oropeza’s arrest came at the end of a lengthy investigation that began on December 17, 2014, into the theft of stolen farm and construction equipment from several victims in the Central Valley.

During their initial investigation deputies from the Rural Crime Investigation Unit were able to immediately recover approximately $50,000 of the stolen property from in front of a home in the 1100 block of West Cecil Avenue in Delano. More stolen items were found inside of the residence and the surrounding property.

An arrest warrant was issued for Oropeza, who was eventually apprehended on March 23.

Read more:

KERO: Man stole $50K worth of farm equipment

INGLEWOOD, CA—Why did the chef cross the county? To forge, burglarize and steal, it seems.

Tony McClendon, 37, was arrested by Inglewood police officers along the 4200 block of West Century Boulevard in Inglewood. He was arrested on Monday, March 23 at approximately 2:30 p.m. and charged with seven felonies and misdemeanors, and was also found to have two outstanding warrants.

Police charged the Pasadena resident with forgery (470(A)PC), possession of a check with intent to commit forgery (475(C)PC), receiving known stolen property (496(A)PC), obtaining another person’s credit card (530.5(A)PC), petty theft (484(A)PC), burglary (459PC) and theft committed with forged access card (484G(A)PC. Of the two warrants, one was from LAPD for battery on a spouse (243(E)(1)PC) and the other was from L.A. County Sheriff’s Department for simple possession of a controlled substance (11377HS).

According to available records, he had been arrested as recently as January for vehicle theft, in November for vandalism, and in October for possession of marijuana, controlled substances, stolen property, and writing a bad check.

Bail for the new charges totaled $151,000. The two warrants added $165,000 for a grand total of $316,000.

The big question is: How much should the tip be for that bill? (At least $45,000??)

HAWTHORNE, CA—Being on a bicycle seems like a good way to appear non-threatening, and perhaps even bereft of controlled substances. But it seems as if even that may not prevent one from being detained, questioned and arrested.

Marcos Antonio Jimenez, 26, was arrested by Hawthorne police on Monday, February 23 at approximately 7 p.m. along the 4000 block of El Segundo Boulevard at Prairie Avenue, just south of the Hawthorne Municipal Airport, and just one major block east of the Hawthorne Police department HQ. The Los Angeles man, a tattoo artist according to police reports, was charged with three violations and found to have no fewer than five outstanding warrants from no fewer than three other police agencies.

The new charges were simple possession of a controlled substance (11377HS), failure to present identification (40302(A)VC) and operating a vehicle on a sidewalk (HAMC 10.06.01). The latter violation, defined by Hawthorne’s municipal code, was stated to be a bicycle.

There were three warrants from L.A. County Sheriff’s Department: two for simple possession (11377HS) and one for possession of a concentrated cannabis (11357(A)HS). Torrance PD had a warrant for the simple possession charge as well (11377HS) and Inglewood PD had the fifth one for driving with a suspended driver’s license (14601.1AVC).

Bail for the new charges was $1,800 and bail for the warrants $216,000, for a grand total of $217,800.

Perhaps he should have obtained a pilot’s license and used the nearby airport to convey controlled substances.

A man was arrested in Madera on Sunday as a repeat offender. According to the official media report by the Madera County Department of Corrections, Edge Tyler Apodaca, 23, was brought in by the Madera Police for criminal street gang activity, attempted murder, and for an out-of-county arrest warrant. He was booked on Sunday, March 22 at 6:39 pm.

According to the report, Apodaca is currently homeless and unemployed, and his gang affiliation was unspecified. Records show that he had been arrested in 2011 on charges of possession and sale of a deadly weapon. Prior to that, in August of 2010 when he was 19, he was charged with vandalism with property damage.

A month later, according to a story in the Merced Sun Star, he was arrested, along with Andrew Saavedra, for setting a fire at an abandoned apartment building in Dos Palos. The building was reportedly occupied by squatters, who had been previously told to leave. The blaze caused $50,000 in damage, and one of the 40 responding firefighters was injured in the incident.

In March of 2013 Aapodaca was arrested again for vandalism, this time with paint, likely as a gang tagger. In January 2014 he was charged with carrying a concealed dirk or dagger, along with an outstanding warrant. Two additional warrant arrests followed in August and October, and a possession of a controlled substance charge came in November.

Bail for his latest charges was set at $27,000 while he is held in the Madera County Jail.

Read More:

Merced Sun-Star: Two arrested in Dos Palos apartment fire

A man in Chowchilla has been arrested on a bench warrant for domestic violence last Thursday evening, March 19.

According to the Madera County Department of Corrections, Delbert Vandecar, 50, was booked on a charge of inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or co-habitant, along with two charges of out-of-state warrants. He was arrested by Chowchilla police and booked at 5:48 pm. His original arrest on the domestic violence charges was made on December 8.

Vandecar, who reports his occupation as a maintenance worker, is no stranger to the Chowchilla police or Madera jail. According to officials, Vandecar was arrested in 2007 on two counts of grand theft, conspiracy, and vandalism with over $5,000 in damages. He was also arrested that year for DUI and driving with a suspended license.

Bail has been set at $120,000, and he faces possible extradition for the outstanding warrants.

INGLEWOOD—If you’re going to get in a fight with a cop, you better be ready to go the whole hog.

Michael Glenn Johnson, 55, was picked up by Inglewood police officers on Wednesday, March 25 at approximately 1:18 p.m. along the 400 block of East Manchester Boulevard in Inglewood. He was arrested fewer than two blocks from Inglewood Police Department’s HQ.

The unemployed Los Angeles resident was charged with threatening crime with the intent to terrorize (422PC), battery on a police officer (243(B)PC), obstructing and/or resisting an executive officer (69PC), obstructing and/or resisting a police officer by attempting to remove a firearm (148(A)(1)PC), trespassing (602PC) and battery (242PC).

Johnson was also arrested twice in February by the Los Angeles Police. He was charged on February 8 with vehicle theft, and then on February 16 with failure to register as a sex offender and violating a domestic relations court order. He was also charged with writing a bad check. The West LA CHP participated in that arrest, according to available records.

The single largest bail amount for the latest incident was $50,000 for the terrorist threat, and the single lowest bail amount was $50 for the battery. The grand total for the six charges was $106,500.

You might want to think twice before you  “go for that gun.”

A repeat offender was arrested in Madera on assault charges last Thursday, March 19. Arturo Navarette, 22, was brought in for assault with a deadly weapon, other than a firearm, and as a result was also charged with a felony probation violation and revocation. According to the official report from the Madera Department of Corrections, the arrest was made by Madera Police, and he was booked at 5:07 pm.

The arrest came after he was identified as a suspect in a vehicular assault following a fight at the AM/PM Mini Mart on Gateway Drive, back on Saturday, March 7. A video of the parking lot conflict was released to the public on March 17, according to Madera Police. It shows an altercation between four people getting out of a car, and fighting with two others who walked in. The car later followed the group of three men, and then struck one of them, breaking his leg and causing additional minor injuries.

Numerous tips came in identifying Navarette, also known as Arturo Navarette-Andrade, as the suspect in the video, and he was arrested two days later. Bail was set at $25,000. Navarette had been arrested in 2011 for malicious defacing with paint, leading to his probation violation charge.