Posted on January 28, 2013 in Felony DUI

The California Highway Patrol claims that a Hesperia, California woman struck her fiancé in a freak accident early Thursday morning in Phelan. Law enforcement says that investigators still do not know what happened in detail. However, the CHP believes that the woman was impaired when she struck her fiancé after he got out of the car the couple was allegedly sitting in before the accident.

The CHP says that each the man and the woman involved were not wearing clothes when law enforcement arrived at the accident scene. Officials believe that the woman's fiancé had gotten out of the car for an unknown reason. He is believed to have walked in front of the car while his fiancé moved into the driver's seat.

The CHP accuses the woman of hitting the gas pedal and the car struck the man as he crossed in front of the car. Authorities say that the woman slammed on the brakes, but lost control of the car as it ran across the street, striking a chain link fence.

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 Posted on January 25, 2013 in Firearm Possession

A middle school student in Hercules, California contacted a school resource officer around 9:15 Wednesday morning, claiming that she saw a man at the school with a gun in his pocket. She reportedly told the resource officer that she first saw the gun on the bus. She says that she saw the man inside the campus of the school and approached the resource officer.

The resource officer found the man near the administration gate at the school. Officials say that the 19-year-old had attended the school when he was younger, but the resource officer did not believe that the teen was authorized to be at the school. The officer drew his gun and ordered the teen onto the ground. Later, the officer found a BB gun, which was not loaded with any BBs in the pocket. The 19-year-old now is facing a charge of unlawfully possessing a weapon on school grounds.

Generally, the California Penal Code defines weapons fairly broadly in the statute that prohibits bringing or possessing a weapon on K-12 school grounds.Kids, or high school students, may face charges for weapons on school grounds for relatively minor incidents with the breadth of the law in California.

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 Posted on January 22, 2013 in Shoplifting, Robbery & Burglary

Deputies in Calaveras County arrested a San Andreas, California man on suspicion of burglary after police say he used a sauna at a San Andreas residence. Officials say that a San Andreas homeowner found the suspect in the kitchen of the home last week, wearing a trench coat and socks. The resident claims that he chased the man out of his home and tackled the suspect in the driveway, while a neighbor called police.

Law enforcement apparently interrogated the man about his alleged presence in the home. Police claim that the man said that he thought the home was unoccupied and had entered the home to use the sauna. When questioned about his trench coat and socks, law enforcement says that the man told them that his clothes were on the floor near the sauna.

Police claim that several items were found in the man's possession when he was found at the home. Authorities say that the items had been stolen from the home and that the suspect admitted to taking small tools, batteries and other small items from the residence.

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 Posted on January 15, 2013 in Shoplifting, Robbery & Burglary

Law enforcement took two people into custody at a Salinas, California truck stop. Authorities claim the two can be linked to a December 31, 2012 burglary at the same location. Police claim that a man smashed a glass case at the store in December and took several items.

Staff members at the gas station and truck stop claim that a woman returned to the store in early January seeking to return some of the items that authorities believe were stolen during the late December commercial burglary. Store personnel claim that the woman was seeking a refund for the allegedly stolen high-priced items.

Monday, as several California Highway Patrol officers were inside the store, authorities claim that a man and woman walked into the establishment. Staff members claim that the man was the one who stole items in the late December incident, while they also claim that the woman is the same person who allegedly tried to return stolen items to the store for a refund in early January. Store personnel called over the CHP officers, who reportedly detained the man and woman until Salinas Police officers could respond to the location.

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 Posted on January 11, 2013 in Dealing with the Police

Law enforcement raided an upscale home in Castro Valley Tuesday after receiving a tip that someone may have been selling marijuana from the home. When officials went inside, they claim that an alligator was found in a tank in a bedroom of the residence. Authorities say that they thought the alligator, technically a 16-year-old dwarf caiman, was guarding marijuana. The caiman was found in a two-foot by four-foot tank.

During the raid, officials say that law enforcement also seized roughly 34 pounds of marijuana. A 32-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of drug charges, including possession of marijuana for sale and possession within 1,000 feet of a school. Meanwhile, authorities transported the dwarf caiman to the Oakland Zoo. Authorities have added animal abuse charges to its accusations against the Castro Valley, California man.

Law enforcement announced Thursday that the 16-year-old caiman was undernourished when officials took custody of the animal. Authorities believe that the animal was given inadequate living conditions at the Castro Valley home. The latest allegations were announced after the caiman died a day after authorities took control of the animal.

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 Posted on January 07, 2013 in Criminal Defense

Police are looking to bring more charges against a Union City, California man after his arrest on New Year's Day. Authorities claim the 25-year-old had stolen two packages from in front of a house in Palo Alto January 1. Palo Alto Police received a call from a resident who claims to have seen someone take packages from a neighbor's doorstep. Law enforcement responded to the area and arrested a Union City man who was in the area.

Police claim that they found two packages in the Union City man's truck. Authorities also seized a baton, a fake gun and drugs after a search of the man's truck. Law enforcement says that a personal check was in the man's Chevrolet pickup truck that authorities believe was stolen from a mailbox in late December. Authorities apparently also suspect the man of drug crimes, after seizing bags and a scale from the truck during the search.

Law enforcement apparently raided a storage unit in Campbell, California as a part of the investigation. Police assert that the Union City man rented the storage unit, where officers reportedly found two more packages that law enforcement believes may have been taken from homes in Palo Alto. Police continue to look for evidence to tie the man to other thefts in Palo Alto. He was booked into jail on several theft-related charges, including possession of stolen property.

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 Posted on January 03, 2013 in Dealing with the Police

Police in Angels Camp, California say that a Citrus Heights man stole five bottles of champagne on New Year's Eve, loaded the bottles into a golf cart, and attempted to make a roughly 74 mile trek home in the stolen golf cart. Police claim that the 46-year-old California man had been staying at a resort in Angels Camp for the holiday. But authorities say that the man had an argument and decided to leave the resort.

Police claim that the Citrus Heights man spotted a golf cart in a garage roughly 20 minutes before midnight on New Year's Eve. That's when police say the man decided to drive home. Authorities accuse the man of taking the electric golf cart and the champagne and hitting the highway.

Police believe that the man took a wrong turn while searching for Highway 4 and got lost. Law enforcement arrested the man near Copperopolis on suspicion of driving under the influence. Police claim that the man drove more than 13 miles in the cart. Officials claim that the man admitted to stealing the machine.

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 Posted on December 31, 2012 in Drug Crimes

Police raided the home Wednesday afternoon and claim to have found more than 500 marijuana plants and roughly 4 pounds of processed pot inside the home. While authorities were conducting the raid, police say that a 38-year-old arrived. The resident reportedly arrived home a little more than an hour after police began searching the home.

The Scotts Valley man was arrested on suspicion of possession of pot for sale and marijuana cultivation charges related to the allegations arising from the raid on his home. Law enforcement also accuses the man of driving on a suspended license, according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Scotts Valley Patch is reporting that the man is also facing charges for driving under the influence.

This blog has reported several stories regarding search issues and other stories regarding marijuana cultivation charges in California. Many media reports rely upon information provided by government authorities. It is important to note that criminal charges are brought in court, where constitutional principles and legal rules protect an individual's rights.

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 Posted on December 27, 2012 in Drug Crimes

What began as a traffic stop for an alleged driving under the influence offense led to felony drug charges Saturday for a San Jose man in Novato, California. Media reports do not indicate what led a Novato police officer to suspect the driver of being under the influence before conducting the traffic stop. However, authorities say that the officer claims to have smelled pot emanating from inside the car.

The officer claims that two large packages wrapped as Christmas gifts were inside the car. Police brought in a canine unit to sniff the packages and claim that the dog alerted during the dog sniff. Novato Police say that the department has three police dogs used to sniff for evidence of drugs.

The officer reportedly ripped open the Christmas gifts and claims that the boxes contained three pounds of processed marijuana. The driver was arrested on suspicion of possession and transportation of marijuana with intent to sell.

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 Posted on December 21, 2012 in Drug Crimes

Law enforcement apparently concluded that the two men were in violation of the terms of their probation. Police say that they believed each man had terms prohibiting them from associating with a gang, according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Both men were arrested on suspicion of the violations.

Authorities say that the 22-year-old was searched at the Watsonville Police station after his arrest. During a body-cavity search, police claim that the man had concealed drugs that were packaged to avoid contamination of the substances and reduce the risk that the man would have an overdose of drugs. Police say that the substances included nearly 29 grams of pot, 11.6 grams of black tar heroin, as well as amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine.

The 22-year-old was not taken to the Santa County Jail on that same day. However, the 25-year-old was booked into the jail on the alleged probation violation.

Santa Cruz County officials claim that the 25-year-old appeared in the court gallery Wednesday to watch a hearing involving criminal charges filed against his brother. Police claim that the defendant in that case has gang ties.

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