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Recent Blog Posts
Media staff think that they may be robbery targets in Oakland
The media says that reporters appear to be the targets of people in a string of recent alleged California robberies. The latest alleged incident was reported last week, when a KTVU reporter was covering a bike accident in the Oakland Hills. The reporter says that several men approached her and her cameraman and stole equipment from the company van.
The TV reporter radioed the station, who called police after the alleged robbery. The media personnel say that one of the men who approached the media truck yelled that the reporter should be shot as the men pushed their way into the van. Neither media worker was injured. The alleged robbery of media personnel is apparently not the first in Oakland in recent months.
An Oakland Tribune photographer reported earlier in the week that she too was robbed while covering a story. She says that she was photographing a mural when someone reportedly stole her laptop and camera.
Someone broke through walls between businesses in California burglaries
Some business owners in an upscale Stockton, California neighborhood joked that an alleged burglar did some remodeling at their stores recently. Officials claim someone broke into a vacant store front and then used that access to break through walls into existing neighboring businesses. A dry cleaner, a Mexican restaurant and a pizza place were among those broken into in the alleged string of commercial burglaries.
Business owners quipped that the walls may have to be left alone. If a customer wanted an enchilada while at the pizza joint, the hole in the wall could help to accommodate the customer, the business owners reportedly said to News 10 in Sacramento. However, the business owners did reportedly scramble to repair the damage from the incident.
Authorities say the alleged burglar first entered an unoccupied storefront business and then broke through the drywall separating the other businesses. Police claim that the California burglar went from store to store taking a variety of items. The owner of one of the businesses was shocked and amazed that the alleged burglar was so sophisticated, according to News 10.
California lawmaker seeks to allow cities to require probation registration
A Southern California Assemblyman apparently wants to add more registration requirements for people who are released from California prisons, or people whose sentence has been deemed to have been served when entering post-release community supervision after a California felony conviction. The Assemblyman was joined by a Southern California police chief during a pitch of the idea to the public safety committee of the California Senate.
Current California law requires people entering post-release community supervision to enter an agreement with county officials. The agreement includes a number of requirements, including registration in the person's county of residence. Proponents of the new measure want to add another potential layer of registration, if a local agency decides to pass a local ordinance.
The Assembly bill seeks to give municipalities, or city and county relationships, to pass local ordinances requiring people placed on community supervision to register with local law enforcement agencies when taking up residence in the city, or city and county. Obviously, critics of the Assembly proposal say that the measure would add yet another requirement that could easily trip up a probationer, leading to exposure to more time behind bars.
California Supreme Court rules for defendant in burglary case
Roughly two years ago deputies arrested a Sacramento man on suspicion of burglary. Before trial, the case boiled up through the appellate courts. The man's criminal defense lawyer argued that the man could not be charged with a completed burglary because there was no evidence the man ever entered the building. The trial court disagreed, and reportedly bound the accused over for trial.
An appellate court later handed down a split decision reversing the trial court ruling. The California Supreme Court has now unanimously agreed that prosecutors cannot proceed with burglary charges against the Sacramento area man.
The case arose from allegations arising on July 24, 2010. Law enforcement claims that the man had stood on a driveway and used a remote control to open a garage door. The homeowner claims to have heard the garage open and ran into the garage. He says that he saw a man standing in the driveway who then ran away from the home.
Teen appears in Marin County alleged Lamborghini theft, attempted murder case
The young man is being tried as an adult on allegations that he had tried to impress a girl in an elaborate automobile theft scheme. Prosecutors allege that someone rappelled into a Marin County automobile showroom to get a 2008 Lamborghini. Later, authorities say the teen drove the $200,000 car in hopes of impressing a 17-year-old girl.
Prosecutors have brought a charge of attempted murder against the 17-year-old based upon what police claim occurred when the teen allegedly drove the car. Authorities believe that the girl rejected the young man. In apparent retaliation for the rejection, prosecutors claim that the teenager fired a gun toward the girl and her boyfriend in Mill Valley April 13.
Authorities say that investigators tailed the teenager during an investigation into the alleged report of the drive-by shooting. Police claim that the teen led authorities to a storage facility. Law enforcement claims that the car, two rifles and shotgun shells were seized at the storage facility, along with a smattering of other items.
Officials charge Marine in alleged DUI deaths of three Marines in Dana Point
The alleged driver of the car was the only Marine to survive that night. He had suffered head trauma and sustained a broken arm. The man was knocked unconscious in the crash. Authorities claim that alcohol tests taken after the crash indicate that the man tested for a 0.16 percent blood alcohol level.
The Marine has now been formally charged with three counts of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated without gross negligence. Prosecutors are also reportedly seeking sentencing enhancements in the felony DUI criminal case.
Military and civilian witnesses who were at the tavern where the four Marines are believed to have spent more than three hours the night of the crash say that the man accused of drunk driving had not been drinking that night. The witnesses reportedly say that the 25-year-old man accused of drinking and driving was the designated driver.
The man has sought legal counsel, who says that the horrible accident was the result of rainy weather, wet roads and hydroplaning. The DUI defense is expected to challenge the reliability and legality of the alcohol tests allegedly taken on the night of the accident when the Marine was taken-- unconscious --to the hospital.
Watsonville police arrest man on domestic violence, attempted murder charges
Authorities claim that they found the woman at her apartment complex with cuts on her hands, arms and her abdomen. The father of her child was also at the apartment, and police claim that he had the woman's blood on him. Investigators say that the woman had told the man to leave the apartment, and the issue boiled up into a domestic dispute.
The couple reportedly has had an on-again-off-again relationship. The couple have a child together, but later had broken up about one year ago, according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Sources say that the couple got back together recently, and the man moved in with the woman.
Apparently, she says that she wanted him out and told him to leave Tuesday. The woman is believed to have left the apartment expecting her boyfriend to leave while she was gone. When she returned, she says the man was still there, and armed with a knife.
She says the two argued, and then she says that he tried to stab her. Watsonville police arrested the man on a series of claims, including suspicion of attempted murder, domestic violence, assault with a deadly weapon and child endangerment.
Santa Cruz drug rehab counselor arrested for alleged drug possession
Santa Cruz County Sheriff's deputies have arrested a woman who works as a drug counselor at a local Santa Cruz drug counseling center. The woman is facing serious drug charges after deputies raided her home last week.
Authorities claim that they found 6.7 grams of heroin in the Santa Cruz resident's home. Deputies also say that they seized cash and materials they are characterizing as packaging items in the raid.
Sheriff's Department officials claim that they fielded repeated complaints of alleged drug deals at the woman's Santa Cruz home. One neighbor claims that drug deals have been going on in the neighborhood for the past year, according to Central Coast News. That person says several neighbors had called in tips to the Anonymous Tip line about the alleged drug sales.
The woman accused of possession of heroin for sales was booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail. Central Coast News reports that the woman has been released on $60,000 bail.
Kings County deputy arrested for DUI while on-duty
A spokesman for the Kings County Sheriff's Department says that when management and supervisors in the unit learned that the deputy smelled of alcohol, he was called back into the sheriff's office. Investigators called in the California Highway Patrol to investigate the man for evidence of alcohol.
The deputy now accused of DUI while on the job was scheduled for the night shift. Authorities claim the deputy had admitted to drinking before reporting for work. The accused has been with Kings County for nine years. He has been placed on administrative leave from the sheriff's office, pending an internal investigation.
He is also facing serious charges in criminal court. The 49-year-old deputy was booked into the Kings County Jail. He was released after six hours and is scheduled to appear in court in July on DUI charges.
A story about the DUI case carried by KFSN-TV News does not outline what any evidentiary alcohol test taken during the DUI investigation may have revealed. However, the news story reports that sheriff's department officials say that a preliminary breath test showed that the deputy's blood alcohol level exceeded the legal limit in California.
Police: Two men arrested for California drug charges after errant text message
Police in Southern California claim that an errant text message led to the arrests of two men who are suspected of California drug crimes. A narcotics suppression officer says that he received a text message from someone who allegedly was seeking to sell drugs. Although it is unclear what cellphone the text message was sent to, the cop says he played along and set up a meeting for a drug deal.
The officer claims that he asked to buy about two grams of methamphetamine from the unknown person sending the errant text message. He reportedly set up a location and time for the meeting. The officer then contacted the drug unit at the Sheriff's department about the alleged drug sting. Deputies went to the location and found a man, who they say had roughly two grams of meth in his possession.
While at the alleged drug deal location, deputies say a second man arrived. Law enforcement suspects the second man as the drug supplier. They reportedly seized roughly 7 grams of meth from the second man. Detectives claim a review of the second man's cellphone contents had information that corroborated the details of the drug deal that was set up by the police officer.
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