Sacto 9-1-1

From David Richie:

The California Highway Patrol is seeking the driver of a vehicle involved in a fatal hit-and-run collision Sunday night at the intersection of Madison Avenue and Lincoln Oaks Drive in Fair Oaks.

The incident occurred about 8:35 p.m. as Michael Winnett, 46, of Citrus Heights, rode his 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan westbound on Madison Avenue. An as-yet unidentified driver in a 1991 Hyundai Elantra pulled out to make a left-hand turn on to Madison Avenue and evidently failed to see the approaching motorcycle, said Officer Lizz Dutton, CHP spokeswoman.

The Hyundai struck the motorcycle and Winnett was thrown about 30 feet. At that point the driver of the Hyundai jumped out of the vehicle and ran from the scene, Dutton said.

Winnett was wearing a helmet but suffered extensive injuries. He was transported by ambulance to Mercy San Juan Medical Center, Carmichael, where he died approximately 26 hours after the collision.

CHP investigators would like to talk to anybody who witnessed the collision or saw the driver of the Hyundai fleeing the scene. Witnesses can call the CHP North Area office at (916) 338-6710.

From the Associated Press:

Five suspects were arrested Friday as part of a federal investigation into an illegal prescription drug ring involving civilian workers at the Sierra Army Depot in Herlong.

The arrests were the culmination of a lengthy investigation by the Lassen County Narcotics Task Force, the FBI, the ATF and the Sierra Army Depot, where three of the suspects were working and a fourth formally worked, the FBI said.

A Susanville couple, Jim Adams, 48, and Tricia Adams, 39, allegedly were at the center of the ring, the FBI said. They have been charged federally with the illegal sale of Schedule II prescription narcotics consisting primarily of Oxycontin, Percocet and Hydrocodone.

Undercover agents made several purchases of the drugs directly from Jim Adams, a former employee of the depot, the FBI said in a statement from its Sacramento bureau. The charges accuse Tricia Adams of serving as the main supplier of the drugs while continuing to work at the depot, where munitions and military equipment have been stored since 1942.

Also arrested were Jacob Lahr, 25, of Doyle, and Markey Walker, 29, and Jerry Goodman, 41, both of Susanville. They face unspecified state charges, the FBI said.

Investigators and police officers from the Sierra Army Depot initially brought the case to the attention of federal authorities after determining that a drug ring was being operated by base employees. Lahr and Walker also work at the base.

Officers from the California Highway Patrol, Plumas County Sheriff's Office, Susanville Police Department and Lassen Interagency SWAT team were among a total of 75 who also assisted in serving seven search warrants in connection with the arrests.

From Art Campos:

Shoplifting suspects picked the wrong Target over the weekend.

Roseville police said they arrested seven people in two shoplifting incidents at the Target store at 10451 Fairway Drive.

At 5:22 p.m. Saturday, store security contacted police to report a group of young people taking items from the electronics department, said Dee Dee Gunther, a police spokeswoman.

Police intercepted the suspects in the parking lot, finding the stolen property on them, Gunther said.

Arrested on suspicion of burglary and conspiracy were Jonathan Andrew Santellano, 20, of Rocklin, Steven Matthew McDaniel, 18, of Salinas and three younger teenagers. They included a girl, 17, from South Lake Tahoe, and a boy, 17, and girl, 14, from Brentwood.

At 6:45 p.m. the next day, police were called to the same store and arrested a man and a woman on suspicion of cutting open packages in the electronics department and taking the items.

Booked on suspicion of burglary, conspiracy and possession of burglar's tools were Michael Davis Scott, 43, of Sacramento and Sherry Lynn Edadiaz, 37, of Auburn.

The two also were wanted on various arrest warrants from Placer and Sacramento counties, Gunther said.

From Niesha Lofing:

Law enforcement agencies throughout the region and state will be on the lookout for drunken drivers during the Labor Day weekend.

Several agencies are planning sobriety checkpoints, and the California Highway Patrol will place 80 percent of its officers on the road over three-day weekend.

The stepped-up enforcement follows an announcement that traffic deaths in California fell to their lowest level in history last year, as reported in Tony Bizjak's story in today's Bee.

Elk Grove police will set up a drunken driving and driver's license checkpoint at 8 o'clock tonight.

Officers will check for impaired and unlicensed drivers, and will distribute educational materials detailing the dangers of drunken driving, police Officer Christopher Trim said.

The checkpoint is funded through a selective Traffic Enforcement Program grant by the state Office of Traffic Safety.

Residents also are encouraged to call police at (916) 714-5111 or 911 if they observe impaired motorists on the roadways.

The Avoid the Eight DUI Enforcement Task Force will conduct a sobriety checkpoint from 9 o'clock tonight to 3 a.m. Saturday in the area of Richards Boulevard at Olive Drive, a news release states.

Participating agencies include the CHP, Yolo County Sheriff's Department, Yolo County Probation Department and the Davis, West Sacramento, Winters, Woodland and UC Davis police departments.

The program is funded through a grant from the state Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Motorists also may noticed an increased CHP presence from 6 p.m. today through midnight Monday throughout the state.

Officers will be looking for motorists who are speeding, driving while intoxicated and not wearing seat belts - the three major causes of highway deaths, according to a CHP news release.

Labor Day weekend is one of the CHP's six "maximum enforcement periods," the release states.

The worst Labor Day weekend death toll was in 1980, when 81 people were killed on California roadways. Last year, 49 people were killed over Labor Day weekend. If fatalities kept pace with population growth, there would have been between 150 to 160 deaths last year, the CHP reports.

The CHP also will emphasize patrols on Interstates 5, 15 and 80 this weekend, as part of the department's Operation CARE - Combined Accident Reduction Effort - program.

From Andy Furillo:

A judge today delayed sentencing on a gang member convicted of second-degree murder in the December 2006 slaying of an Elk Grove man in front of the victim's house.

Sacramento Superior Court Judge Michael W. Sweet continued the sentencing of Manuel Cervin to Nov. 7 on a motion filed by the defendant's new lawyer, John Feiner.

Feiner said he intends to file a motion for a new trial based on what he viewed as the insufficiency of the evidence the jury used to convict the 25-year-old Cervin.

Cervin was convicted July 31 in the shooting death of Marc Grimes, 21.

Grimes was shot and killed following a traffic dispute with Cervin, who was driving a car with three passengers at the time of the 11:45 p.m. slaying.

According to evidence at the trial, Cervin, following the traffic incident, positioned his car in a manner that blocked a vehicle that was being driven by Grimes' girlfriend. Cervin then rolled down his driver's side window and exchanged words with Grimes. Another passenger in the car then fired a gun that killed Grimes, who was about to leave town to attend Navy boot camp.

Sacramento County Sheriff's Department detectives are seeking Jerome Richard Martin, left, on three felony no-bail arrest warrants -- one for grand theft and two for battery against a person with a previous dating relationship, Sacramento Crime Alert officials report.

Martin has described as 21 years old, 5 feet 9 inches tall weighing 135 pounds with brown eyes and black hair.

He was last known to live in the 7200 block of Amherst Street in the Meadowview area of Sacramento, officials said.

Anyone with information about Martin is urged to contact Crime Alert at (800) AA-CRIME or (916) 443-HELP. Callers can remain anonymous and maybe eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

From Chelsea Phua and Niesha Lofing:

Two men and three teenage boys were arrested late Thursday after allegedly shooting BB guns at more than a dozen people in Sacramento.

Police officers spotted the vehicle associated with the shootings at about 11 p.m. Thursday in the parking lot of Raley's on Mack Road, said Sacramento police Lt. Kathy Lester.

The officers conducted a probation search and found three BB guns in the vehicle, she said.

Kulpreet Singh, 20, and Clarence Watts, 19, were arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon with likelihood of great bodily harm and conspiracy with two or more people to commit crime. They both are being held on $130,000 bail in Sacramento County Main Jail and are scheduled to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to online jail information.

Three 17-year-old boys also were taken into custody. One of the teenagers has a gang affiliation, Lester said. They are not being identified because they are minors.

The group allegedly shot the BBs at people who were walking or waiting at bus stops in several locations.

The first incident was reported at 7:30 p.m. in the 6600 block of Folsom Boulevard, police said. Other shooting locations included north and downtown Sacramento.

About 13 people were hit by BBs, Lester said.

Some of the victims were treated for minor injuries.

From David Richie:

A Ducati motorcycle valued at $15,000 to $20,000 has been recovered by El Dorado County sheriff's investigators after an alleged burglary at a home in the 3800 block of Silkwood Place just west of Silva Valley Parkway in El Dorado Hills.

Deputies were called about 7:30 a.m. Monday by a resident who told them that someone had gained entry to his locked garage. The motorcycle was missing along with motorcycle gear and some electronics, including a projector, said Sgt. Bryan Golmitz, El Dorado County sheriff's spokesman.

The resident suggested that deputies talk to a neighbor on nearby Falkirk Way who had shown a lot of interest in the bike.

Deputies went to that address and contacted Shawn Paul Hunter, 31 (top left photo). During a consent search of the home, they found the projector that had been reported missing from the garage on Silkwood Place. Hunter was arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen property, Golmitz said.

Detectives then obtained a search warrant for the home on Falkirk Way and found other items during a more extensive search. They also developed information that Wednesday night led them to Folsom, where they recovered the Ducati motorcycle, Golmitz said.

Hunter remains in El Dorado County Jail on charges of suspicion of first-degree burglary and receiving stolen property. A vehicle theft charge is pending but has not yet been filed. Bail for the two felony theft counts has been set at $275,000 each.

From Niesha Lofing:

A Sacramento man could be sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to his fifth drug crime.

David Brown Jr., 28, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, a news release from U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott's office states.

Brown was arrested in January after Sacramento Problem Oriented Policing officers assigned to Oak Park spotted him at Eighth Avenue and San Jose Way.

Brown, known to police as a drug felon, parolee and neighborhood drug dealer, spotted the officers, threw down a bag containing more than 40 grams of crack cocaine before being arrested, prosecutors said.

Brown faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison.

Brown is scheduled to be sentenced at 9 a.m. Nov. 6.

From Denny Walsh:

Federal and local authorities said Thursday they have broken the backs of three dope peddling organizations with five grand jury indictments naming 33 people in the distribution of methamphetamine, ecstasy and marijuana throughout the Central Valley, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and Alaska.

"This string of indictments strikes a serious blow to major methamphetamine trafficking in the Sacramento region and beyond," said U. S. Attorney McGregor Scott.

Investigators seized more than four pounds of methamphetamines, 13,000 ecstasy pills, 1,350 marijuana plants, more than $75,000 in cash, body armor and 11 firearms, including a Tech-9 machine pistol.

The amount of meth and number of pot plants hikes the maximum sentence upon conviction to life without parole and a 10-year mandatory minimum.

The charges culminate an extensive investigation by the Sacramento High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, a specialized and federally-funded team comprised of Sacramento County sheriff's deputies, agents from the U. S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Sacramento and Folsom police officers, and Sacramento County Probation Department agents.

The task force worked the cases with the assistance of meth enforcement, gang suppression and SWAT units from the Sheriff's Department, and drug investigators in Milwaukee, Anchorage, Illinois, and the counties of Yuba, Sutter, Nevada and Placer.

"This operation was an excellent example of how the use of narcotics task forces and inter-agency cooperation can be an effective tool in taking down major drug rings," said Sacramento County Sheriff's Capt. Elizabeth Kelly.

Charged in the five indictments are 18 people from Sacramento: Jorge Reyes, 29; Adam Reyes, 37; Juan Alvarez, 30; David Navarro, 37; Majeid Bajmanlo, 28; Steven Lopez, 37; Juan Rizo, 29; Thomas Garcia, 33; Sarah Lancaster, 29; Ashley Rymer, 23; Victor Ceja, 22; Khamsou Sida, 30; Keoudone Phaouthoum, 36; Koutkeo Thi, 32; Zi Lei, 38; De Yang, 24; Komalla Xayadeth, 36, and Loretta Canham, 45.

Five people from Elk Grove are charged: Ruben Olsen, 30; John Li, 36; Son Nguyen, 38; Thanh Nguyen, 33, and Ting Thavisak, 35.

Also charged are Bounthavee Nerasin, 43; Pamouane Pan Phonephackdy, 33; and Vy You, 31, from Michigan; David Forkner, 38; and Steven Talbot, 47, from Nevada County; Juan Abarca-Catalan, 40; and Tuy Nguyen, 23, from Vallejo; Philip Garcia, 29, from West Sacramento; Michael Joseph, 30, from Marysville, and Joshua Like, 20, from Anchorage.

From David Richie:

El Dorado County sheriff's deputies are looking for numerous suspects involved in a home-invasion robbery Sunday when a Cameron Park resident was pistol-whipped.

Sheriff's 911 operators received a call about 11:50 p.m. from a home in the 2500 block of Country Club Drive indicating a burglary in progress.

When deputies arrived, they were told that at least three and possibly as many as 10 armed men wearing bandanas over their faces had stormed the house. Two residents, a man and his girlfriend, were in the home. The woman escaped out a back door or window and got to a neighbor's house to call 911, said Sgt. Bryan Golmitz, El Dorado County Sheriff's Office spokesman.

At the same time, the man of the house was confronted by several suspects and pistol-whipped. About $1,000 was taken out of his wallet. Investigators are still trying to determine if anything else was stolen.

No suspect descriptions were available.

Members of the River Park Neighborhood Watch night patrol has a message for would-be scofflaws: Don't engage in suspicious acts in their neighborhood.

As reported by The Bee's Edgar Sanchez in today's Sacramento regional edition, the patrol is an "extension" of the River Park Neighborhood Watch. It has about 30 men and women who take turns driving through the neighborhood at night.

"Our neighborhood is not a high-crime area, and we want to keep it that way." said Jeff Harris, a patrol member.

Here is Sanchez's full story.

From Stan Oklobdzija:

Rancho Cordova Police officials are hunting for a brazen robber who attempted three hold-ups on Monday within the span of 15 minutes.

According to sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran, the man started his spree around 9:39 a.m. at an auto parts store on the 10800 block of Folsom Blvd.

Armed with a black semi-automatic pistol, he held up a clerk at the store and made off with the money in the register, Curran said.

Not satisfied, apparently, he crossed the street into the parking lot of a liquor store and held up a customer, Curran said.

Shortly after, the man attempted to rob another person in a parking lot on the 3300 block of Quality Drive, about a mile away from the first two robberies, Curran said.

The man, described as an African American in his 20s standing about 5-feet 7-inches and weighing between 180 and 200 pounds, Curran said. The suspect is clean-shaven, has short black hair and was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans or shorts.

He was last seen driving a mid-90s four-door green Honda or Hyundai, Curran said.

Anyone with information is urged to call (916) 874-5115 or Crime Alert at (916) 443-HELP.

The Bee's Regional editions publish Public Safety Watch stories each Thursday. Here's a roundup of those stories and Police/Fire Logs, as compiled by Bee reporters:

Sacramento/North Sacramento/south Sacramento:
Correctional officer arrested on obstruction charge
Police/Fire Log

Arden/Carmichael:
Ring 'buyers' rob Carmichael man
Police/Fire Log

Elk Grove/Laguna:
Elk Grove motorcycle officers place in skills test
Police/Fire Log

Citrus Heights/Orangevale/Fair Oaks:
Two battle for booze in Citrus Heights
Police/Fire Log

Folsom:
Police/Fire Log

Rancho Cordova/Gold River:
Police/Fire Log

El Dorado County:
Unlocked doors aid burglars in El Dorado Hills

South Placer:
'Bathroom Bandit' steals restroom pipes
Police/Fire Log

From David Richie:

El Dorado County Supervisor Helen Baumann is scheduled for a court hearing 10 a.m. Oct. 24 to fight a drunken driving charge filed against her by the El Dorado County District Attorney's office.

Baumann, left, did not attend her arraignment Tuesday in El Dorado County Superior Court but her attorney, Donald Simonds, appeared on Baumann's behalf and entered a not guilty plea.

Reached by telephone Wednesday at his El Dorado Hills office, Simonds said the Oct. 24 date will be a pretrial conference. He declined to make any further comment, indicating that his is still in the "discovery" phase of the case and it is much too early to talk about it.

The charges against Baumann, 56, stem from an incident on the night of June 6 when she allegedly lost control of her car on Latrobe Road, crashed through a barbed wire fence and rolled down an embankment. California Highway Patrol officers stated that she then apparently drove back up the embankment, crossed the road and hit another embankment.

Because of medical concerns, Baumann was transported to Mercy Hospital, Folsom, where she was treated and released without being booked into El Dorado County Jail.

Earlier The Bee reported that her blood-alcohol level registered over the legal limit of 0.08, but the California Highway Patrol, which investigated the accident, did not release Baumann's exact blood-alcohol level.

She issued this statement about a week after the accident that said: "While there remain many unanswered questions, and my attorney has advised me not to comment, I am extremely concerned and want to apologize for the strain and disruption the situation has caused our law enforcement and emergency services."

Baumann has reached her term limit after serving eight years on the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors and she will leave office in January.

Sacramento Police Department felony assault detectives are seeking Antoine Dupree Allen, left, on a felony $35,000 bail arrest warrant for suspicion of assault with deadly weapon or firearm and possession of a firearm by convicted felon, Sacramento Crime Alert officials report.

Allen is described as 21 years old, 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing 150 pounds with brown eyes and black hair.

He was last known to live in the 4000 block of Sea Meadow Way in the Valley Hi area of Sacramento, officials said.

Anyone with information about Allen is urged to contact Crime Alert at (800) AA-CRIME or (916) 443-HELP. Callers can remain anonymous and maybe eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

From Stan Oklobdzija:

The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department has recovered a handgun stolen from one of their deputies in Rancho Cordova late last month.

On Aug. 20, deputies from the Rancho Cordova Police Department, which contracts personnel from the sheriff, were responding to a call about a man violating a domestic violence restraining order, according to sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran.

They found the man, Brent May, 31, at the Red Roof Inn on 10800 Olson Drive and stopped him while he was in his car, Curran said.

Deputies found May was on probation and searched his vehicle, Curran said. Inside, they found methamphetamine and a digital scale, along with several rounds of ammunition and three gun holsters, according to a sheriff's report. Upon further search, deputies found a .45 cal Sig Sauer handgun hidden in the wheel well of May's trunk, the report said.

The handgun was the one stolen from a sheriff's detective on July 30 while he was attending an FBI training class at a Rancho Cordova hotel, Curran said.

That deputy locked his gun, along with a sheriff's laptop in a car assigned to him by the FBI. When he returned from the class, he found both items stolen, along with a GPS device that belonged to him.

Curran said May has not admitted to stealing the detective's gun. The laptop, which Curran said didn't contain classified information, and the GPS device have not been recovered, Curran said.

Sheriff's investigators are still determining how May might have acquired the weapon, Curran said.

From Sandy Louey:

Elk Grove police arrested a 14-year-old boy Tuesday night on suspicion of burglarizing a home.

At 7:35 p.m., the boy and another boy entered a man's home through a front bedroom window in the 10000 block of Mosaic Way. They put items belonging to the man in a backpack and left, according to police.

The man confronted the boys, chasing after the 14-year-old. The 14-year-old, who was found by officers, was arrested on suspicion of burglary and conspiracy. The second boy wasn't found, police said.

From Art Campos:

Roseville police are crediting a citizen's tip for helping them arrest two men on suspicion of burglarizing three businesses early Tuesday.

The citizen called police at 2:48 a.m. to report two men peering into the windows of the Radio Shack store at 920 Pleasant Grove Blvd., said police spokeswoman Dee Dee Gunther. The men left in a red sedan, the citizen told police.

Officers arrived to find the store had been broken into and ransacked, Gunther said.

Meanwhile, officers from the Roseville and Rocklin police departments, the Placer County Sheriff's Department and the California Highway Patrol also responded and stopped a car matching the description on Highway 65 near Galleria Boulevard, she said.

Two men in the car ran away and eluded officers, but two others were caught, Gunther said. Items taken in the Radio Shack burglary were recovered, she said.

The men also were suspected of having burglarized two other businesses that morning - Papa Murphy's Pizza at 9260 Sierra College Blvd. and Pizza Guys at 7451 Foothills Blvd., she said.

Booked on suspicion of burglary, conspiracy, evading a police officer and resisting arrest were Joe Kenneth Ornelas, 20, and Justin David Roina, 18, both of Rio Linda.

The other suspects are still being sought, Gunther said.

From Niesha Lofing:

A man is in custody after assaulting a California Highway Patrol officer and leading authorities on a high-speed chase along Interstate 5 in Colusa and Yolo counties.

The pursuit ended when the suspect, whose identity has not been released by authorities, lost control of the motorcycle he was riding and crashed.

The incident began about 11 a.m. when a CHP officer responded to a report of a person panhandling and creating a disturbance at the Maxwell rest area on the northbound side of I-5, said CHP Sgt. Patrick Landreth.

The officer spoke to the man and found that he was wanted on a felony warrant out of Colusa County. Landreth said the suspect fought with the officer when he attempted to arrest him.

The suspect ran away then jumped aboard a motorcycle and rode onto northbound I-5. He crossed the median and headed south.

CHP officers pursued the man for about 20 minutes, exceeding 100 mph, Landreth said.

When the suspect tried to exit the freeway on the off ramp to County Road 8, he lost control of the bike and crashed, suffering minor injuries.

"He had some cuts and was complaining of back pain," Landreth said.

The man was transported to an area hospital. He likely will face charges of evading arrest and assaulting an officer, in addition to the felony charge contained in the warrant.

The CHP officer assaulted at the rest area was not hurt in the fight.

"I spoke with him, and he is fine," Landreth said.

Sacramento police have identified the three suspects arrested Friday in connection with the Thursday night killing of 17-year-old Kevin Marice Marshall.

Cuauhtemos Rodriguez, 37, (top left photo) was arrested in Long Beach on Friday with his 19-year-old son, Agustin Rodriguez (top right photo), and another son, a 15-year-old boy, said Officer Konrad Von Schoech, a Sacramento police spokesman.

The 15-year-old son's name is being withheld because he is a juvenile. Police are not identifying which suspect was the gunman.

The three were taken into custody separately by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies. Von Schoech said the suspects fled to Long Beach because they have relatives in the Los Angeles area.

Marshall, a student at Vista Nueva Career & Technical High School, was shot to death Thursday night outside the River Garden Estates apartment complex on Northview Drive. Police say the fight stemmed from an exchange of "hard looks" between Marshall and the suspects.

A Vista Nueva administrator described Marshall as a model student with "a quick smile and a big heart." His former basketball coach said Marshall was a team player who helped build a squad from scratch..

From Sandy Louey:

Sacramento police are looking for two men believed to be responsible for three home burglaries that occurred last week in the Pocket area.

The residential burglaries occurred at night between Aug. 21 and Aug. 23 in the area of Rivergate Way and Rush River Drive.

The two burglaries Aug. 21 were in the 7200 block of Rush River Drive and the 600 block of Rivergate Way, with an attempted burglary Aug. 23 in the 600 block of Rivergate Way, according to a police bulletin.

The burglars entered the homes through unlocked windows or doors and took money, video games and car keys. The keys were used to steal a car from a driveway. The stolen car was later recovered, police said.

Both suspects are described as African American men, between age 18 and 21. One man is described as 5-foot-9 with short-shaved hair. He was wearing a white T-shirt and dark pants. The second man was about 6-foot-1 and was wearing a dark T-shirt and pants. He had an orange comb in his hair, police said.

Residents are being reminded to secure their doors and windows at night and to report any suspicious activity.

From Art Campos:

Three young teenagers were arrested Monday by police in Lincoln for allegedly writing a large amount of graffiti on a sound wall in the 100 block of South O Street.

Police said a citizen's tip led to the apprehension of a 13-year-old boy and two 14-year-old boys, all Lincoln residents.

Lt. Terry Kennedy said in a news release that the graffiti appeared to be gang-related writing.

The boys were booked into the Placer County Juvenile Detention Center in Auburn on suspicion of felony vandalism, conspiracy and possession of illegal weapons, as cans of spray paint are considered in these cases, he said.

From the Associated Press:

The wife of a former Blue Lake police chief accused of raping her allegedly told her former attorney that she feared she would be killed if she testified against her husband.

Attorney Patrik Griego testified in the rape trial of David Gundersen on Tuesday that Darcie Seal told him about her fears when they spoke during the two months leading up to the preliminary hearing, and that she often was shaking and crying.

Gundersen faces two dozen counts of raping Seal repeatedly over a two-year period while she was under the influence of sleeping pills, among other charges.

He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and remains jailed on $1.25 million bail.

Here's the Eureka Times-Standard story about the trial.

From Niesha Lofing:

A man convicted of murdering a 21-year-old in front of a West Sacramento club 22 years ago has been denied parole.

Alfredo Morales was denied parole for the maximum of four years on Tuesday during a parole hearing at Salinas Valley Prison, a news release from Yolo County District Attorney Jeff W. Reisig's office stated.

Morales shot and killed Gregory Rodriguez in front of the 600 Club in the Broderick area of West Sacramento in 1986.

As Rodriguez "crumpled to the sidewalk," Morales fired five more shots hitting him in the head, neck and chest, parole hearings Commissioner Hollis Gillingham said Tuesday.

Morales was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 32 years to life in prison.

Rodriguez's two brothers, Eugene and Valentino Rodriguez, spoke to the parole board Tuesday and asked that Morales not be released.

Here is Lofing's full story.

A Sacramento man was one of six men arrested in York, Pa., last week during a drug bust in which 50 pounds of marijuana was confiscated, the York Dispatch reports.

Kevin J. Leary, 26, of Sacramento was arrested along with five others in a raid in which police seized the marijuana, about $15,000 cash, seven high-end vehicles, three guns, a bulletproof vest and suspected steroids, according to state police Cpl. Craig Fenstermacher.

Fenstermacher said when police burst into suspect Joshua S. Lindsey's home about 9:15 p.m. Aug. 21, they found men sorting through 50 separate 1-pound packages of pot. The men were arrested on felony marijuana possession with intent to deliver and criminal conspiracy.

Here is the full York Dispatch story.

From Niesha Lofing:

A Sacramento man dubbed the "straw hat bandit" is facing up to 60 year in federal prison after admitting in court to robbing several area banks.

Michael Edward Osgood, 47, on Tuesday pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence K. Karlton to three counts of bank robbery, a news release from U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott's office stated.

Osgood acquired his nickname because he wore a large-brim straw hat during the robberies.

He was arrested June 9 after robbing the U.S. Bank branch at 3320 Arden Way. Osgood also pleaded guilty to robbing the Sterlent Credit Union at 2648 Watt Avenue on May 12 and the U.S. Bank branch at 2808 Country Club Blvd., Stockton, the release states.

As part of a plea agreement, Osgood also admitted committing four other bank robberies:

• April 30: Tri-Counties Bank, 4650 Natomas Blvd., Sacramento.

• May 16: Wells Fargo Bank, 8870 Madison Ave., Fair Oaks (top left photo).

• May 21: Citibank, 436 Howe Ave., Sacramento.

• May 24: U.S. Bank, 5021 Laguna Blvd., Elk Grove.

Osgood faces up to 20 years in federal prison, three years of federal supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution for each of the three bank robbery convictions.

He is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 4.

The case was investigated by the Sacramento Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes the FBI, Roseville Police Department and Sacramento County Sheriff's Department.

Although Los Angeles city officials say crime is down considerably, a growing number of people in the city's west side have come to believe that they are in the midst of a mini-crime wave, especially with the recent series of home invasion robberies targeting elderly women, the Los Angeles Times reports.

"The more people you have out on the streets, the more eyes you have watching," said David Holtzman, public safety chairman of the West Los Angeles Neighborhood Council. "Public safety is not just crime statistics, it's also a feeling."

Here's the LAT story.

From Niesha Lofing:

Remains found in a burned-out vehicle in El Dorado County are those of Ronald Presba, who officials say was killed by his wife and another man.

County coroners identified the remains using DNA testing, determining they were Presba, 43, of Garden Valley, El Dorado County sheriff's Sgt. Bryan Golmitz said.

The remains were found June 25 on the floorboard of Presba's sport utility vehicle. Firefighters battling a wildland fire found the vehicle about 300 feet down a ravine along Highway 193 near Kelsey.

Investigators ruled the death a homicide and charged Patricia Presba, 47, (top left photo) and Jaime Ramos, 21, (top right photo) with crimes associated with the killing. They were arrested in Salt lake City in July and await extradition to El Dorado County.

The criminal complaint against the pair alleges that they murdered Ronald Presba for financial gain then set fire to forestland and personal property.

The criminal complaint also states that Ramos used a hammer or similar tool during the crime, and a special allegation of the use of a deadly weapon was added to the charges against him.

Patricia Presba and Ramos both worked at the California Conservation Corps' residential center in Greenwood. Presba was on leave from the state agency, officials said. Ramos had left the agency in May.

Here is The Bee's July 31 story about charges being filed against Patricia Presba and Ramos.

From David Richie:

Two men are being held without bail in Sacramento County Main Jail after giving deputies a surprise last week during a routine traffic stop.

An arrest summary released today states that Kennard Wayne Shaver, 45, was behind the wheel and John Burnside, 39, was a passenger when deputies pulled their car over for vehicle code violations at about 7 p.m. Wednesday in the 3900 block of 49th Avenue.

Deputies first determined that Shaver was driving without a license, but then they got a look at the load the two were carrying.

A search turned up about 75 pairs of Nike brand shoes, along with about 40 pairs of name-brand sunglasses and 30 DVD movies - all of the merchandise either counterfeit or pirated, according to the arrest summary.

Deputies also found an unspecified quantity of marijuana and a box of ammunition.

Shaver faces a felony charge of suspicion of possession of counterfeit articles while Burnside has been charged with two felony counts of suspicion of failure to disclose the origin of a recording.

From Sandy Louey:

A new regional coalition has formed to combat underage drinking in the Sacramento region.

The coalition, which will focus on educational and enforcement efforts, is scheduled to sponsor a press conference at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Elk Grove Regional Park to announce its formation.

Coalition members have been meeting since early this year on the issue of teen drinking. More than a dozen organizations are part of the coalition including the California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control, the California Office of Traffic Safety, Sacramento State University, California Highway Patrol, Elk Grove Police Department, the University of California at Davis Health System, and Kaiser Permanente.

Some of the coalition's plans include a needs assessment of underage drinking in the region, a resource guide on prevention, counseling and rehabilitation efforts, and a Web page of resources.

Click here for information about the coalition.

From David Richie:

El Dorado County sheriff's investigators are hunting for a gunman who has robbed two El Dorado Hills businesses.

Detectives think the same man hit the Bella Bru coffee house on Park Drive about 5:45 p.m. Aug. 10 and followed up with a similar caper at Juice It Up on Town Center Boulevard about 7:45 p.m. Aug. 13. Both businesses were still open, but the man seemed to wait until most of the customers were gone, said Sgt. Bryan Golmitz, El Dorado County Sheriff's Office spokesman.

In both cases, the man confronted employees and took money from the cash register.

The man is described as white and in his 40s. He is about 5-feet-8-inches tall and has collar length brown hair and a Fu Manchu style mustache and goatee.

Law enforcers in the High Desert city of Hesperia are teaming with metal recyclers to curb scap metal thefts.

The Hesperia Star reports that an increasingly stolen item, according to deputies, is Romex, a plastic-coated wire commonly used for home electrical wiring. That's because thieves are stealing items from homes abandoned because of foreclosure.

Here's the Star story.

From Niesha Lofing:

A Davis gas station clerk is facing criminal charges after allegedly selling tobacco to an underage decoy during a sting operation.

The Yolo County District Attorney's office conducted the undercover buy operation in Davis on Sunday and netted one arrest.

Underage decoys, under the supervision of peace officers, attempted to buy tobacco from various stores, Lt. Dan Stroski, of the district attorney's office, stated in a news release.

During tobacco stings, decoys always carry a state ID card bearing their true age.

A 16-year-old police decoy entered the Anderson Davis Shell Station on Anderson Road at 6:30 p.m. and asked for long-cut chewing tobacco.

The two talked about which can of tobacco was desired. 21-year-old female clerk then allegedly sold the product to the decoy without asking for any proof of age or identification, Stroski said.

After the exchange, the clerk allegedly told investigators, "I always check ID," he said.

The clerk was cited and ordered to appear in court Oct. 13.

If the clerk pleads guilty or is found guilty, the gas station's owner could lose their license to sell tobacco for 10 days, the penalty for a first-time violation.

From Denny Walsh:

Charges in Sacramento federal court against a man accused of making a series of menacing telephone calls were dismissed Monday because he was declared incompetent. The man has a long history of making threats against prominent people.

Scott R. Hudson, who has a long history of mental illness and threats of violence, was charged with warning he would use fire or explosives and directing threatening calls to a Minnesota university, a synagogue in Orange County, a rabbi in suburban New York, a Jewish museum in Philadelphia and two New York City hotels.

The 54-year-old Hudson was arrested by FBI agents in December 2006 at a Chico motel where he was living, and he has since been held without bail.

On a motion Monday by the prosecutor, U. S. District Judge William B. Shubb ordered the charges dismissed and Hudson released.

"It appears there is little likelihood that he will attain the capacity to proceed in the foreseeable future," Assistant U. S. Attorney Philip Ferrari said in a status report filed Friday. "The government simply cannot prosecute Mr. Hudson on the pending charges at this point in time."

In May, U. S. Bureau of Prisons psychiatrists found Hudson incompetent and recommended forced medication. However, given his medical history and the amount of time he had already spent in custody, Ferrari decided involuntary medication was not justified and Shubb said he would not order it.

Based at least in part on a more recent report from a local psychiatrist, Shubb found last week that Hudson's release "would not create a substantial risk of bodily injury to another person or serious damage to the property of another."

In a 2001 prosecution in Sacramento federal court, Hudson pleaded guilty to making a series of telephone calls to various businesses in Arizona threatening harm to Randy Johnson, then a pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team.

Specifically, Hudson stated he would shoot Johnson in the head and would cut off his testicles.

He was first sentenced to 16 months in prison, but a violation of his supervised release drew a second sentence of 18 months.

During the course of that earlier prosecution, Hudson was twice referred by Shubb to a federal medical facility in Rochester, Minn., for evaluation and treatment of his mental illness.

Court records show Hudson was first investigated by the FBI in 1996 in connection with threats made against U. S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass. During that investigation, it was discovered that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police also was investigating him in connection with threatening calls received in Canada.

As early as the mid-1970s, Hudson was admitted to a psychiatric hospital in Southern California for allegedly "being dangerous with a gun in his possession," according to court records.

He later lived with his mother, who is now deceased, in the Butte County town of Paradise.

From Denny Walsh:

A drug peddler from Corning was sentenced Monday in Sacramento federal court to 24 years and four months in prison for conspiracy and possession for distribution of at least 500 grams of methamphetamine.

Margarito Ramirez Caballero, 36, was found guilty by a jury June 10.

The quantity of drugs, the presence of a firearm and Caballero's perjury during the trial were determining factors in the lengthy sentence.

In imposing it, U.S. District Judge Frank C. Damrell Jr. said it is "unquestionably the case that the defendant intentionally misled the jury," was "more involved than he was willing to admit" and was "deeply involved in the conspiracy."

According to prosecutors Philip Ferrari and Todd Pickles, six men met in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Yuba City just before midnight Feb. 24, 2007 to sell about 4 pounds of meth to an undercover informant. Once they displayed their product to the informant, federal narcotics agents moved in for the arrests.

Testimony established Caballero was at the scene to provide security and drove a pickup truck carrying two others, a military rifle and ammunition.

Five men are scheduled for sentencing on various dates in September and October.

Charges against a seventh were thrown out by Damrell at the trial.

From Art Campos:

Six adults were cited Friday in sting operations in Rocklin and Lincoln for purchasing alcohol for minors, police reported.

One of the adults received an addition citation for soliciting a female decoy for sex, according to Rocklin Police Sgt. Terry Roide.

The liquor-buying sting, known as a "shoulder tap," was conducted from 4 to 10 p.m. in the two cities by officers from the Rocklin, Lincoln and Roseville police departments, Roide said.

In Rocklin, officers went to eight locations, placing a female under the age of 21 in front of a business and having her ask people to buy liquor for her, the sergeant said. The minor approached 32 people, and three of them agreed to furnish liquor, he said.

In Lincoln, officers went to four locations, and of the 29 people approached by their decoy, three purchased alcohol for her, he said.

Also in Lincoln, one of the adults tried to solicit the girl for sex, Roide said. In another instance, a passenger in an associated vehicle was cited for possession of marijuana, he said.

Roide said the "shoulder tap" operations will continue monthly through the 2008-09 fiscal year. The three police agencies received an $87,584 grant from the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to conduct the stings, he said.

So far, the operations have resulted in 11 citations at 18 locations, Roide said. Slightly more than 150 adults were approached, he said.

Robbers are continuing to target Oakland businesses, especially restaurants. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the robberies have taken place in variety of neighborhoods and some have turned violent.

Here's the Chronicle story.

From Niesha Lofing:

Sacramento County sheriff's deputies are searching a Fair Oaks neighborhood for a suspected copper thief.

Someone tried to steal the copper wiring from a liquor store's air-conditioning unit on the 9600 block of Fair Oaks Boulevard, a sheriff's dispatcher said.

Sheriff's deputies received the call just after 6 a.m., he said.

Deputies believe the thief remains in the area.

From Kim Minugh:

The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department has arrested a woman accused of abducting her two children from their grandmother's home in Palmdale last night, authorities said.

The children, a boy and girl, were found safe.

Teresa Roy, 39, was arrested at about 10 a.m. today on suspicion of child abduction from lawful custodian, said sheriff's Sgt. Tim Curran. She is being transported to the Main Jail, he said.

The two children, ages 5 and 9, live with their grandmother, who had legal custody, in Palmdale, Curran said. Los Angeles County authorities put out an Amber Alert after the children were reported missing Thursday night.

A Sacramento County sheriff's deputy searching south Sacramento for the 2000 Toyota Sienna minivan reported in the Amber Alert saw a vehicle matching the description parked at a Motel 6 on Elsie Avenue this morning, Curran said. The deputy checked the vehicle's license plates, which matched the Amber Alert. He was awaiting backup from other deputies when Roy left her room, Curran said.

The deputy arrested Roy without incident, Curran said.

The children were inside the motel room.

Curran said the abduction appeared to stem from a custody dispute.

From Kim Minugh and Chelsea Phua:

A father, his son and a male juvenile were arrested in Long Beach today in connection with Thursday night's fatal shooting of 17-year-old Kevin Marice Marshall in Gardenland, according to Sacramento police.

Authorities are not yet releasing names of those arrested because they are still showing photo lineups to witnesses, said Officer Michelle Lazark, a Sacramento police spokeswoman.

Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies arrested the three suspects at different times between noon and about 2:30 p.m., Lazark said. Police are not yet sure why they fled to Long Beach, but say all three are from Sacramento.

Lazark said homicide detectives are on their way to Long Beach to take over the investigation.

The oldest suspect is 37, the father of a second suspect, who is 19. Lazark said she did not know the age of the third suspect but said he is a juvenile. They are not believed to have been acquaintances of Marshall, the victim, and said they apparently crossed paths "at a chance meeting," Lazark said.

Marshall, a student at Vista Nueva High School, was gunned down in front of the River Garden Estates apartment complex in the 2200 block of Northview Drive. He was pronounced dead at UC Davis Medical Center.

Sacramento police Sgt. Jim Hose said police received reports of shots being fired about 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Northfield and Northview drives.

Investigators said Marshall had exchanged some "hard looks" with another teenage boy, who was with a group that included adults.

During the fight, someone pulled a gun and shot Marshall.

Rodney Landingham was once played football on scholarship for the University of Nevada, Reno.

For the past four years, he has been an inmate at Warm Springs Correctional Center in Carson City, Nev.

The Reno Gazette Journal reports that Landingham lost everything because of his love affair with the euphoria he felt winning blackjack and craps games that led him to commit an armed robbery spree to pay off his gambling debts.

"Gambling central was only a few blocks away from school," Landingham said. "It was a lifestyle I never experienced. It was a fantasy, like Disneyland. And I was right up the street from it. I was at the top, and now, I'm at the bottom. It's hard to accept. I'm in a prison cell locked up wondering what the hell happened. It was gambling."

Here's the RGJ story.

Sacramento County Sheriff's Department officials are seeking Jason Palmer on a felony $20,000 bail arrest warrant for suspicion of petty theft with prior convictions of petty theft, grand theft, burglary and robbery, Sacramento Crime Alert officials report.

Palmer, left, is described as 23 years old, 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighing 150 pounds with blue eyes and brown hair. He was last known to reside in the 3900 block of Oak Hurst Circle in Fair Oaks, authorities said.

Anyone with information about Palmer is urged to contact Crime Alert at (800) AA-CRIME or (916) 443-HELP. Callers can remain anonymous and maybe eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

For the past three months, the Rocklin Police Department and the California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control have joined forces to combat underage drinking.

Decoys age 20 and younger have been deployed at retail outlets and local restaurants and bars to check compliance with state alcohol laws, according to a Rocklin PD news release. The decoys were sent into businesses that had an ABC license and would attempt to buy alcohol.

Of those of those 109 attempts, the decoys were able to purchase alcohol 14 times, officials report.

An $18,700 grant given to the Rocklin Police Department by the California Alcohol Beverage Control funded the operation, authorities said.

Another in the continuing tale of metal thefts, from Art Campos:

Roseville police are trying to flush out one of the most unusual bandits ever to hit town.

The culprit, who dresses in plumber's clothing, walks into restaurants, visits the restrooms and takes apart the toilets and urinals to steal metal parts and pipes.

The "Bathroom Bandit" has pulled the stunt at four Roseville restaurants over a nine-day span, police say.

"It's amazing how brazen some of these thieves are getting in their thefts of metal," Dee Dee Gunther, police spokeswoman, said, adding that burglars frequently try to sell the metals to recyclers.

Gunther said police have seen numerous thefts at construction sites for copper wire and metals, and they've taken reports for the theft of brass nameplates taken from neightborhood entry signs. Roseville has also been hit hard by thieves who steal catalytic converters from vehicles, she said.

"But as far as I know, this is the first time we have had people go into an open business and dismantle the plumbing," she said.

The bathroom bandit pulled the first caper in Roseville on Aug. 13, then two more on Wednesday before committing his fourth crime at an eatery today, Gunther said. A similar incident occurred at a Taco Bell in Citrus Heights last week, police in that city said.

In the Roseville thefts, the suspect wore a brown denim-type long-sleeved shirt in one crime and a dark blue mechanic's overalls in the other three incidents, Gunther said.

The man is described as white, in his 30s, about 5 feet, 6 inches tall and with a medium build. He has short, light-colored hair and appears to be unshaven.

He was seen getting into a white sedan, possibly a 1990s Pontiac Grand Am driven by a woman, Gunther said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Roseville police at (916) 774-5070.

From David Richie:

Citrus Heights police are trying to determine if a recent spike in motorcycle accidents can be attributed to inexperienced riders jumping on bikes to save gas.

The most recent incident occurred about 5 p.m. Wednesday when a motorcyclist slammed into a car making a left-hand turn into an apartment complex on Greenback Lane, east of San Juan Avenue. Eastbound lanes were shut down for about hour and heavy commuter traffic backed up at least a mile.

The 19-year-old motorcycle rider will be cited for excessive speed and riding without a proper motorcycle endorsement on his driver's license, said Sgt. Eric Mattke, police traffic enforcement unit supervisor.

"He was riding it like a rocket up the street," Mattke said. "He told us he was going 40 mph, but the speedometer was pegged at 75 mph when it impacted the car. There was no motorcycle endorsement so we may have an experience problem too."

The motorcycle rider was transported to Mercy San Juan Medical Center, Carmichael, with "road rash" and bruises. Mattke said it was "a miracle" that the rider survived. He was wearing a helmet, jeans and a T-shirt.

Several occupants of the other vehicle, including a baby, were also transported to the hospital as a precaution.

Excessive speed has been one of the common elements in the city's recent rash of motorcycle wrecks. Mattke estimated that his unit has investigated 15 to 20 incidents in the past two months. An analyst is examining the accident reports, looking for factors indicating lack of motorcycle riding experience as another common element.

From Sandy Louey:

An Elk Grove police officer shot and killed a pit bull that was reportedly charging officers Wednesday morning.

Officers responded at 7 a.m. to a call at Winterberry Drive and Dianthus Way about two large pit bulls that were chasing several residents in the neighborhood.

A resident told officers that the dogs forced their way into a neighbor's back yard and brutally attacked their dog. The pit bulls then charged officers, who were trying to contain them, according to a report.

Police said an officer was forced to shoot one of the charging dogs. The other dog ran off and was later captured by a city of Elk Grove animal control officer.

Officer Christopher Trim, spokesman for the Elk Grove Police Department, said Thursday that the second dog was returned to its owner, who owned both pit bulls.

The owner was cited for municipal code violations, including two counts each of having dogs at large, failure to license the dogs and failure to have rabies vaccinations, Trim said.

Sacramento police are seeking Dennis Reed Schiveley on a felony no-bail arrest warrant for suspicion of possessing a firearm by a convicted felon, Sacramento Crime Alert officials report.

Schiveley, left, is described as 29 years old, 6 feet tall weighing 140 pounds with brown eyes and black hair. He has tattoos on both sides of his neck and four dots under the outside corner of his left eye.

He was last known to reside in the Beecham Court area in South Natomas, authorities said.

Anyone with information about Schiveley is urged to contact Crime Alert at (800) AA-CRIME or (916) 443-HELP. Callers can remain anonymous and maybe eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

From Niesha Lofing:

With the fall semester getting ready to launch, Sacramento State University officials are hoping to get more students, faculty and staff to sign up for a system that alerts the campus community of critical incidents.

University officials launched the campus Emergency Notification System (ENS) in late April and so far have had about 3,000 students and employees registered to receive the alerts, said Greg Porter, the university's director of networking and telecommunications.

The university has about 28,000 students and 3,000 faculty and staff.

Officials say they hope more students and employees will sign up for the system for the fall semester, which begins Sept. 2.

Click here for Lofing's full story.

Bee reader Nancy MacDonald of Carmichael phoned in today with a tale that is similar to the "Granmda" scam blog item we posted May 16.

MacDonald said someone called her during the first week of August and said, "Grandma, I'm in trouble." She said his voice sounded similar to her grandson, who she thought at the time was in Ojai. The caller went on to say he was in jail in Montreal and needed money for bail. She said she spent hours on the phone with the U.S. Consulate office in Montreal to verify the story and see how she could send funds to Canada if she needed to.

She ended up not sending any money, and when a different caller phoned Wednesday with the same "Grandma, I'm in trouble" opening line, she quickly dismissed him. Her grandson is safe in Redding, she said.

The Better Business Bureau lists several such scams, some targeting seniors, and tips to avoid them.

The metal theft spree in cemeteries continues. Yesterday, it was reported that seven metal urns were stolen from a Union City mausoleum. Today, the San Francisco Chronicle reports that in Colma, a town of 2.2 square miles and 16 cemeteries, thieves have stolen bronze vases, brass gates and other metal paraphernalia.

Scrap-metal thieves have hit the town's resting places 12 times in the last three months alone, prompting an emergency meeting Tuesday among police and all of the cemetery operators in town.

Here's the Chronicle's story.

The Bee's Regional editions publish Public Safety Watch stories each Thursday. Here's a roundup of those stories and Police/Fire Logs, as compiled by Bee reporters:

Sacramento/North Sacramento/south Sacramento:
Three arrested in Valley Hi car vandalism
Police/Fire Log

Arden/Carmichael:
Robber steals a video game in Arden Arcade
Police/Fire Log

Elk Grove/Laguna:
School is starting so watch out for kids
Police/Fire Log

Citrus Heights/Fair Oaks/Orangevale:
Slow down or pay, Citrus Heights police tell Antelope Road speeders
Drunken driving checkpoints nab 11 on Auburn Boulevard

Folsom:
Police/Fire Log

Rancho Cordova/Gold River:
Police/Fire Log

El Dorado County:
Undeveloped lots pose fire hazard in Placerville

South Placer:
Former Placer County deputy to serve two years on sex charges
Police/Fire Log

From Phillip Reese, as reported in The Public Eye column today:

Violent crime dropped across Sacramento during July compared to the same month last year, according to a Bee analysis of police data.

North Sacramento had the most instances of violent crime in July. Police District 2, which covers the area, saw 57 robberies, murders and assaults with a deadly weapon. That figure is down from 67 cases in July 2007.

Oak Park crime continued to drop. Police District 6, which covers Oak Park, Tahoe Park and Fruitridge Manor, saw violent crimes decline from 42 during July 2007 to 35 during July 2008.

Natomas, stung by a much-publicized robbery spree in June, bucked the overall trend. Robberies dropped off slightly in July, but violent crime in the neighborhood remained well above July 2007 levels.

Police focused resources in Natomas last month, and home invasion robberies dropped sharply. The decline was offset somewhat by a slight rise in other types of robberies.

Click here for The Bee's Crimemapper, a view of crime in your area.

From David Richie:

El Dorado County burglars scored property worth thousands of dollars last weekend by entering unlocked homes and vehicles, according to Sheriff's Office incident summaries.

Five sheriff's deputies responded to an incident Sunday morning on Travois Circle in Cameron Park. A resident called 911 after he was awakened by loud noises downstairs.

Deputies determined that someone had cut through a screen on an open window to gain entry into the home. Once inside, the burglar went into the garage to steal a 90cc Yamaha motorcycle.

The resident evidently scared the burglar away. Other property was found stacked next to side door of the garage.

Deputies investigated two incidents Friday where fast-moving thieves hit homes where residents were just gone for a short time. In both incidents the culprits came in through unlocked sliding glass doors.

The first incident was reported about 11:30 a.m. Friday at a home in the 3300 block of Excalibur Road in Placerville. Residents had departed about 9:30 a.m. and came home to find more than $7,500 in property missing. Their losses included a laptop computer, an I-Pod, jewelry, and a box of .380 caliber ammunition.

Deputies were called to the 4600 block of Tennessee Drive in Shingle Springs about 5:30 p.m. The residents had been gone for about an hour to have dinner.

When they returned they noticed that several items were missing, including a camcorder and two diamond and gold rings valued at more than $5,000.

A car break-in late Friday or early Saturday morning resulted in the loss of a $5,500 road bicycle along with a purse containing several credit cards. The items had been left inside a vehicle in the 4800 block of Dale View Court in El Dorado Hills.

The bike's owner told deputies that she had locked the car doors but the windows may have been left down. A brick also was found next to the vehicle. The woman had activated her car alarm system but she told deputies that it had not been working properly.

Deputies advised her to cancel her credit cards and fix her car alarm system.

From Art Campos:

The California Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies in Auburn arrested 27 motorists on suspicion of drunken driving during a traffic enforcement operation at the city's recent Black & White Ball.

In addition to the arrests, the CHP, the Auburn Police Department and the Placer County Sheriff's Department handed out 20 citations and detained at least four people for drug-related evaluations Saturday, CHP Officer Steve Merchant said in a news release.

Capt. Rick Ward, commander of the CHP's Auburn-area office in Newcastle, said extra units patrolled Interstate 80, Highway 49, Bell Avenue and other major roadways in and around the city.

Last year, the agencies combined to arrest 30 suspected drunken drivers during the Black & White Ball, he said.

The law enforcement agencies began teaming up in recent years to provide extra patrols at the annual ball after citizens and businesses complained about an increase in drunken drivers and alcohol-related rowdiness.

From Art Campos:

Roseville police arrested four teenagers today on suspicion of writing graffiti on fences, sound walls and signs in neighborhoods near Cirby Way and Sunrise Avenue.

Police spokeswoman Dee Dee Gunther said the costs to clean up the vandalism are estimated to be in the thousands of dollars.

Gunther said a citizen spotted two males writing graffiti on a sound wall near Oakmont High School at 12:42 a.m. and called 911.

When police arrived, the suspects fled, she said. However, within a few hours, four suspects were located and arrested, she said.

Officers found more graffiti on Cirby Way, Kensington Drive and in Eastwood Park, she said.

Arrested on suspicion of felony vandalism and conspiracy were Brandon Jon Benvenuti, 19, Jerin Christopher Miller, 18, Moses Mauro John Rodriguez, 18, and a 16-year-old boy.

The juvenile was booked and released into the custody of his parents. The others were booked and released after posting $10,000 bail each, Gunther said.

The spokeswoman said a conviction for felony graffiti carries a possible sentence of up to one year in jail, 300 hours of community service and the payment of fines. Courts also routinely order graffiti vandals to pay restitution to property owners for damage and cleanup costs, she said.

From David Richie:

A 19-year-old man remains in Sacramento County Main Jail today after a Sunday afternoon incident when passersby wrestled a loaded, sawed-off shotgun away from him.

A sheriff's summary released Wednesday states that Beau Bailey Childs argued with a 24-year-old man in the 4400 block of Elkhorn Boulevard near Sprig Drive in Foothill Farms.

Childs pointed the illegal weapon at the other man, and that man grabbed for the shotgun as other bystanders joined the fray. They gained control of the weapon and held Childs until sheriff's deputies arrived.

Deputies determined that the shotgun was not registered to Childs. He was booked into jail on suspicion of possessing an illegally modified firearm.

Add bronze urns to the list of desired scrap metal for thieves.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, thieves in Union City entered the mausoleum at the Chapel of the Chimes Cemetery on Sunday and pilfered seven bronze urns - including one that contained cremated remains.

"It's hitting everybody," said Union City Police Lt. Jim Bizieff, of the rash of metal thefts plaguing cities. "But when you start taking people's ashes, that's kind of morbid."

Here's the Chronicle story.

From Niesha Lofing:

Sacramento police are asking for help in identifying a man who sexually assaulted a teenage girl in River Park on Tuesday afternoon.

The girl was walking at about 1 p.m. along Sandburg Drive, near Glenn Hall Park, when a man approached her from behind and forced her into the women's public restroom, where he sexually assaulted her, police Sgt. Matt Young said.

The man left the area on foot, he said.

The suspect is described as a white male in his mid-40s, 5-foot-10, weighing 160 to 170 pounds, with medium-length brown hair. He had a salt-and-pepper beard and was wearing a gray shirt with writing on the front, blue jeans and white sneakers. The man had a Southern accent and spoke in a raspy voice, Young said.

The attacker's appearance was dirty, and he might be transient, he said.

Anyone with information is urged to call police detectives at (916) 808-0575 or Crime Alert at (916) 443-HELP. Callers may remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

The city of Roseville has new lookouts for crime -- its refuse truck drivers.

The city's Environmental Utilities Department recently announced the official launch of its Drivers on Patrol Program.

With input from the Roseville Police Department, the plan for drivers is to keep a watchful eye for suspicious activity in the neighborhoods they serve, according to the city's Web site.

Here are more details about the plan.

From the Associated Press:

Parents will soon be held liable if their children are caught tagging property in Los Angeles County, according to an anti-graffiti ordinance approved Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors.

The ordinance will go into effect Sept. 18 and will allow the county to recover costs of removing graffiti. The county can also recoup unpaid costs by placing a lien on the property belonging to a tagger's parent.

Parents can expect to pay hundreds of dollars if held responsible for their children's graffiti. According to the ordinance, graffiti costs more than $520 to remove, and another $665 to apprehend each culprit.

Here's the full AP story.

Sacramento police are seeking Mario Paul Gallegos on a felony $60,000 bail arrest warrant on suspicion of robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and battery causing bodily injury, Sacramento Crime Alert officials report.

Gallegos, left, is described as 20 years old, 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing 165 pounds with brown eyes and black hair.

He was last known to reside in the 500 block of Columbus Avenue in the Gardenland neighborhood of Sacramento, officials said.

From Art Campos:

Roseville police say two burglary suspects returned to the scene of the crime for a second straight night - and got caught.

The two Sacramento men reportedly broke into cargo containers at Pasco Scientific on Foothills Boulevard at 8 a.m. Sunday, carrying off several volt meters, police spokeswoman Dee Dee Gunther said. They tripped a burglar alarm but were gone when police arrived, she said.

However, they returned at 2:29 a.m. Monday, again setting off an alarm and rummaged through a second cargo container that was forced open, Gunther said.

Police arrived in time to stop a pickup truck that was driving away from the business, she said.

They arrested Jeffrey John Bravo, 38, and Rene Gutierrez, 32, on suspicion of burglary, conspiracy and possession of burglar's tools. Gutierrez was also booked on suspicion of possessing methamphetamine, Gunther said.

The two were being held in the Placer County jail in Auburn on $30,000 bail each, she said.

From Art Campos:

Roseville police have arrested a woman on suspicion of stealing items from a vehicle parked in a driveway July 7.

The crime was captured on the homeowner's video surveillance system, which showed an SUV pull up behind the parked vehicle. A woman and a man walk up to the vehicle, open the unlocked doors and search for items to take, the video shows.

Police spokeswoman Dee Dee Gunther said the video was posted on the Police Department's Web site and was also broadcast by several local news outlets. Tipsters phoned in leads to police detectives, and one of the tips led to the female suspect, Gunther said.

On Thursday, police went to the Sacramento home of Michelle Breann Treadway, 23, and recovered property stolen in the Roseville burglary, she said.

Treadway, top photo, was booked on suspicion of grand theft, conspiracy and violation of probation, Gunther said. She was released the following day with a promise to appear in court, she said.

Police are continuing to investigate two other suspects, she said.

From Art Campos:

Roseville police concluded a busy several days of traffic enforcement early Sunday with the arrests of two men who were suspected of racing their motorcycles on North Sunrise Avenue.

In addition, officers handed out three citations to drivers for allegedly making illegal modifications on their vehicles for possible street racing, police said.

The operation targeting illegal street racing began at 4 p.m. and ended at 2 a.m. Sunday.

Besides the two arrests, the officers took a third motorcyclist into custody for allegedly driving recklessly and of having no license, Roseville Police spokeswoman Dee Dee Gunther said.

The suspect ditched his motorcycle in some bushes and tried to run away from police, she said. Because of his attempt to flee, he also was booked on suspicion of resisting arrest, she said.

Police also issued five regular speeding tickets during the operation, Gunther said.

On Friday night, Roseville police conducted a sobriety checkpoint on Auburn Boulevard, arresting nine people, including six on suspicion of drunken driving.

Two days earlier, officers conducted a "zero tolerance" effort aimed at speeding drivers on Cirby Way and Riverside Avenue. Officers handed out 130 citations - about 75 percent of them for speeding, Gunther said.

From Sandy Louey:

Elk Grove police arrested a mother Monday afternoon for allegedly leaving her 2-year-old daughter alone in an unlocked vehicle for more than 30 minutes.

Police received a call about the child around 4 p.m. Witnesses had opened the rear passenger door to check on the child after unsuccessfully trying to locating the child's mother in a store in the 9600 block of Bruceville Road, according to a police report.

Police located Juana Perez, 29, who was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment. Her daughter was released to a relative and Child Protective Services was notified, police said.

From Sandy Louey:

Elk Grove police arrested six people and issued 67 citations during a sobriety checkpoint Saturday night.

The checkpoint was targeted at removing impaired and unlicensed drivers from the road. Five arrests were for driving while under the influence, while one was for a warrant for driving under the influence, said Officer Christopher Trim, spokesman for the police department.

The 67 citations were for miscellaneous vehicle code violations, he said

From Edgar Sanchez:

A Roseville man bailed out of jail Monday, a day after he was arrested on suspicion of using a camera to film under a person's clothing at the California State Fair, according to a jail report.

Daniel Abraham Hyman, 52, left, also was arrested on suspicion of offering a bribe to a peace officer, disorderly conduct and soliciting lewd acts, the report said.

A Point Marion, Pa., woman had her own way of protecting her home, as reported by the Associated Press:

An 85-year-old woman boldly went for her gun and busted a would-be burglar inside her home, then forced him to call police while she kept him in her sights, police said.

"I just walked right on past him to the bedroom and got my gun," Leda Smith said.

Smith heard someone break into her home Monday afternoon and grabbed the .22-caliber revolver she had been keeping by her bed since a neighbor's home was burglarized a few weeks ago.

"I said 'What are you doing in my house?' He just kept saying he didn't do it," Smith said.

After the 17-year-old boy called 911, Smith kept holding the gun on him until state police arrived at her home in Springhill Township, about 45 miles south of Pittsburgh.

The boy will be charged with attempted burglary and related offenses in juvenile court, Trooper Christian Lieberum said. He was not identified because of his age.

"It was exciting," Smith said. "I just hope I broke up the (burglary) ring because they have been hitting a lot of places around here."

From Chelsea Phua:

A longtime West Sacramento convenience store owner was shot in a robbery Monday night, police said.

The store owner, Abdulla Fattah, was struck in his forearm, said Lt. Derek Brummett.

Two men dressed in black clothing with their faces covered in bandannas - one blue and one white - entered the Bryteway Market at Solano Street and Lisbon Avenue around 9:20 p.m. and demanded money at gunpoint, Brummett said.

At least one of the men held a gun and fired a shot, striking Fattah once. He fled southeast on Lisbon Avenue, triggering a manhunt for them that stretched several blocks from the store, Brummett said.

Fattah attempted to run after the men. He was later taken to hospital.

Neighbors say Fattah has run the store for almost 20 years.

"It's just a regular neighborhood store," said Jacob Calderon, whose wife's family has lived in the area for 25 years.

Fattah, his wife and another part-time employee was in the store at the time of the robbery, Brummett said.

From Art Campos and David Richie:

Eleven people were arrested on suspicion of drunken driving Friday night during sobriety checkpoint operations in which 2,500 vehicles were screened by law enforcement agencies at the boundary line of the cities of Roseville and Citrus Heights.

Roseville police, with help from the Placer County Sheriff's Department and the Rocklin and Lincoln police departments, set up a checkpoint on northbound Auburn Boulevard at Whyte Avenue. They arrested six motorists on suspicion of drunken driving.

The Citrus Heights Police Department set up a checkpoint for southbound traffic on Auburn Boulevard at Linden Lane and apprehended five suspected drunken drivers.

Combined, the agencies had 32 vehicles towed away and issued 71 citations for other traffic violations. In addition, Roseville police made three arrests not related to drunken driving.

Roseville Police spokeswoman Dee Dee Gunther said the non-DUI arrests involved a warrant, a drunken passenger and a driver whose license was suspended.

Nine motorists on the Roseville side were given citations for driver's license violations, and 20 tickets were issued for other traffic-related infractions, Gunther said. Thirteen vehicles were towed away, she said.

On the Citrus Heights side, police issued 42 citations, including 15 for driver's license violations. Five people wanted on warrants were arrested, police said. Nineteen vehicles were towed away, police said.

From Sandy Louey:

Elk Grove police arrested two people for allegedly robbing a gas station Saturday night.

The incident occurred at 10:21 p.m. at the Complete Performance Auto station at 8999 Elk Grove Blvd.

James Benefield, 25, allegedly pointed a shotgun at the clerks and demanded money. One of the clerks pushed the gun away from her. During a struggle with the clerk, he struck her several times with the shotgun, according to a police report.

Police said Benefield ran to a vehicle driven by Danielle Bundy, 24. Bundy's vehicle reportedly struck another vehicle while they were leaving the scene. A witness to the hit-and-run followed her vehicle, which stopped in a residential neighborhood.

Benefield and Bundy ran away, but were found with a K-9 unit and the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department helicopter. Witnesses identified Benefield as the robber, according to police.

Benefield and Bundy were arrested on suspicion of robbery and conspiracy, according to Officer Christopher Trim, spokesman for the Elk Grove Police Department.

From Niesha Lofing and Chelsea Phua:

Two Yuba City men are facing manslaughter charges after the personal watercraft they were riding struck and killed a 3-year-old child near the shore of the Feather River.

Authorities have identified the child as Dominique Lee Williams, of Marysville.

The collision occurred at about 5:26 p.m. Saturday when John William Blanchard, 63, and Allan John Minkema, 50, were riding the watercraft about 15 to 20 mph toward the shore of Mosquito Beach, according to a Sutter County Sheriff's Department news release.

The watercraft hit Williams, who was standing in the water, about three or four feet from the shore.

The law requires watercrafts to be at 5 mph if they are within 100 feet of bathers or swimmers, or if they are within 200 feet from a beach that is frequented by bathers or swimmers.

Williams suffered major head injuries and was taken to Rideout Memorial Hospital, where he died at about 6:20 p.m.

Blanchard and Minkema were arrested on suspicion of vessel manslaughter and booked into the county jail. Both have since posted bail, said sheriff's Sgt. Greg Zembiec.

Zembiec would not disclose whether there was any kind of motive in the crash or whether the men expressed remorse. He said witnesses reported that the men had been drinking, but authorities are awaiting a toxicology report to determine if they were drunk.

Sutter County sheriff's deputies continue to investigate the crash.

Sad story from Riverside County: A couple recovered their sport utility vehicle they reported stolen while visiting Riverside National Cemetery , but it was too late to save Rebel, their prized 16-year-old wolf-malamute mix who was unable to walk because of hip dysplasia.

According to the Riverside Press Enterprise, Mary Michael and her husband, Craig, visited the cemetery Saturday while Rebel stayed in the car. The Michaels left the engine running and the air conditioning on for her comfort. They were less than 20 feet from the car, Craig Michael said, when he realized it was moving.

The vehicle was recovered Sunday but Rebel was found dead.

Here's the Press Enterprise story.

From David Richie:

A woman whose car collided with a motorcycle last week killing the driver now is suspected of homicide, authorities said Sunday.

Melissa Nicole Nichols, 23, left, initially had been booked into El Dorado County Jail on Friday on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter after a puzzling head-on collision Thursday evening.

California Highway Patrol investigators said that Nichols and Anthony James Payne, 23, had been dating. They were seen by a passerby talking to each other on Carson Road, near East County Road, at about 7:45 p.m. Thursday. Nichols was driving a 2004 Pontiac Grand AM and Payne was on a Honda 1000 motorcycle.

After the conversation, they departed in different directions but, at some point, investigators say Payne evidently turned his motorcycle and came back westbound toward Nichols. For some reason her car drifted into that lane and struck the motorcycle head-on. The impact threw Payne about 200 feet and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

"Investigators from the California Highway Patrol and our agency met for a long time Friday afternoon to discuss it," Sgt. Phil Chovanec, El Dorado County Sheriff's Office spokesman, said Sunday.

Investigators also interviewed a passenger who was with Nichols at the time of the crash and developed other evidence they felt supported a murder count, Chovanec said.

The sheriff's office is now lead agency for the continuing investigation but CHP investigators remain involved in the case, Chovanec said.

Nichols was transported to Sutter Roseville Medical Center with minor injuries after the wreck. On Friday she was brought back to Placerville and booked into jail on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and drunken driving resulting in bodily injury.

From Niesha Lofing:

A North Highlands man is facing attempted murder charges after allegedly shooting at people in another vehicle near Nicolaus.

The incident began about 10:50 a.m. Sunday when Glenn Daniel Sutton, 44, allegedly showed and fired a handgun at three people in a pickup truck on Highway 70 south of East Nicolaus, according to a California Highway Patrol report.

None of the people was hit, the report states.

One of the people in the pickup called CHP dispatchers and followed Sutton as he continued to drive north on Highway 70. The CHP located Sutton's red Toyota Tercel as he exited the highway at Olivehurst Avenue and stopped him at Fifth and Western avenues in Olivehurst, the report states.

Sutton was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, drawing or exhibiting a firearm to a person in a vehicle, carrying a loaded firearm and drunken driving.

The handgun was found in Sutton's vehicle, the report states.

From Niesha Lofing:

An ice cream vendor was assaulted and robbed at gunpoint at a Woodland park Friday evening.

Mohammad Rashid, 38, of Woodland, was selling ice cream near Harris Park on Imperial Street when the alleged attack took place, states a Woodland police news release.

Rashid had stopped at the park to use the restroom when a man approached him from behind, struck him in the head with the butt of a handgun, pointed the gun at Rashid's head and demanded money, the release states.

The man stole Rashid's wallet and other personal belongings and walked out of the restroom.

A witness provided police with a description of the assailant and said that after the attack, he entered a black, four-door vehicle resembling a Ford Focus that was parked on Imperial Street and driven by another man. The car sped away south on Imperial Street, the witness said.

The assailant is described as a white or light-skinned Hispanic man, 5-foot-4, thin build, wearing long, red plaid shorts.

The witness described the driver of the car as Hispanic, between 18 and 22 years old, 5-foot-7, wearing a gray "A's" T-shirt and long, tan shorts, the release states.

Rashid was treated by medical personnel at the scene for a laceration to the left side of his head.

Woodland police are investigating the attack.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at (530) 661-7800.

Some big updates this weekend...first of which, is the last 6 months of crime report data from the Elk Grove PD...a much requested update from readers, so thanks to the EGPD for working with us to get that data.

Also added: July Sacramento and Roseville Data.

Email databases@sacbee.com if you have any questions.

From David Richie:

A pit bull terrier was shot and killed Tuesday morning in Rancho Cordova as it attacked a Sacramento County sheriff's police dog, officials said Friday.

That makes three pit bulls killed by local law enforcement officers in less than a week - a "very rare" occurrence, said Detective Sgt. Pete James, spokesman for the Rancho Cordova Police Department.

The incident in Rancho Cordova occurred about 10:30 a.m. when Rancho Cordova police and a sheriff's K-9 unit went to a house on Glenmoore Drive, not far from the Rockingham police station. They had a no-bail felony warrant for a suspect identified as Gregory Lawrence Thorne, 38, James said.

When the officers knocked on the door, two pit bulls came out of a side yard through a hole in the fence. One of them attacked K-9 Ado and his handler shot the attacking dog, James said. The other dog did not take part in the attack and actually retreated during the melee. That dog was not harmed, James said.

Ado suffered several wounds around his eye but is expected to make full recovery.

On Wednesday, a sheriff's detective shot and killed two pit bull fugitives from the Sacramento County animal shelter during an incident at Motel 6 on College Town Drive. Brutus and Smokey were condemned to death after they attacked a utility company worker in June. But, before that death sentence could be carried out, someone broke into the animal shelter and stole them.

They were found Wednesday when sheriff's detectives went to the motel in search of their owner, Cynthia Peters, and her boyfriend Mark Parr. The dogs ran out of the motel room when Peters opened the door to the detectives. They attacked a maintenance worker who was walking by the room and one of the detectives shot them.

Peters and Parr are suspects in the animal shelter jailbreak but that incident is still being investigated and no charges have been filed against them in that case, officials said.

From David Richie:

A woman was booked into El Dorado County Jail today on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter after a puzzling head-on collision Thursday evening, California Highway Patrol officials report.

Investigators said that Anthony James Payne, 23, and Melissa Nicole Nichols, 23, appear to have had a previous dating relationship. They were seen by a passerby talking to each other on Carson Road, near East County Road, at about 7:45 p.m. Thursday. Nichols was driving a 2004 Pontiac Grand AM and Payne was on a Honda 1000 motorcycle.

After the conversation, they departed in different directions but, at some point, investigators say Payne evidently turned his motorcycle and came back westbound toward Nichols. For some reason her car drifted slightly into that lane and struck the motorcycle head-on. The impact threw Payne about 200 feet and he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Nichols was transported to Sutter Roseville Medical Center with minor injuries and on Friday she was booked into jail on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and drunken driving resulting in bodily injury.

From Niesha Lofing:

A south Sacramento elementary school was on lockdown for 30 minutes this morning after an assault in the surrounding neighborhood.

Students at Samuel Kennedy Elementary School on Briggs Drive were kept in classrooms with their teachers during the lockdown, which began at 10:05 a.m., said Elizabeth Graswich, director of communications for the Elk Grove Unified School District.

"The lockdown was lifted at 10:35 a.m. after we received information from law enforcement that the area was clear," she said.

Nearby violence sparked the lockdown.

A woman was walking to a bus stop in the area when two women snatched her purse and slashed her with a knife, Sacramento County sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran said. A description of the suspects will be published when it becomes available.

The woman was taken to an area hospital and treated for wounds that were not life threatening.

School officials will send letters home to students' parents informing them of the lockdown today, Graswich said.

From Niesha Lofing:

The Sacramento Fire Department's Community Emergency Response Team will get new members, hold a disaster drill and is planning to donate new pet oxygen masks during a graduation ceremony Saturday.

The 30 new CERT members have recently completed more than 24 hours of training and will be able to assist the community during disasters, according to a fire department news release.

The ceremony will be held at 9 a.m., followed by a mock disaster drill for new recruits. A disaster scene will be set up at the fire department's emergency medical services headquarters at 3230 J St., said Pat Burritt, Sacramento CERT's volunteer manager.

After the drill, which is expected to last about two hours, the CERT team will present five new sets of pet oxygen masks - which can be used to revive dogs and cats rescued from fires - to the fire department, she said.

San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies are using portable fingerprint scanners to identify suspects in the field.

Here are details from the Victorville Daily Press.

From Niesha Lofing:

Sacramento law enforcement authorities have launched a new program to stop illegal off-road riding and driving in the northern areas of the county.

The Sacramento County District Attorney's Office, in conjunction with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department, county code enforcement and property owners, has begun special code enforcement measures in Rio Linda, Elverta and Antelope neighborhoods, according to a news release by District Attorney Jan Scully's office.

The program includes posting "no trespassing" signs around private property lots, constructing barriers at entry areas to open lots and sending letters to residents telling them about the consequences of trespassing on private property to participate in illegal off-road driving.

Citations and further criminal prosecution will be enforced if the preventative measures fail, the release states.

The letter residents will receive lists properties in each neighborhood that have had off-road vehicle problems, outlines the increased law enforcement measures and states possible citations and criminal charges for violations.

From Niesha Lofing:

Police are looking for a Sacramento man who has been missing since Thursday morning.

Alvin Thomas, 80, left, was last seen leaving his home in the 3600 block of 38th Street to go to a nearby store, according to a police news release.

Thomas, who has an progressing case of Alzheimer's, did not return and his whereabouts are unknown.

He was last seen driving a gray 2005 Dodge Ram pickup with yellow and blue paper license plates, the release states.

Anyone with information about Thomas' whereabouts is asked to call Sacramento police at (916) 264-5471.

From Art Campos:

Four adults were cited for allegedly buying liquor for minors during a sting operation Tuesday in Roseville, police reported.

The operation, known as a "shoulder tap," was conducted at six locations that night as police used minors as decoys to approach nearly 100 adults in front of the stores and ask if they could buy liquor for them, said police spokeswoman Dee Dee Gunther.

Of the four adults cited, one was also arrested for a drug-related felony warrant, Gunther said.

Assisting Roseville in the sting were the police departments of Rocklin and Lincoln and agents from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

Gunther said it was a grant from the ABC that provided funding for the sting.

From Sandy Louey:

Elk Grove police arrested three 17-year-old boys for allegedly setting fires at Elk Grove High School early this morning.

At 2:38 a.m., a witness called 911 after seeing a fire burning on the grounds of the high school at 9800 Elk Grove Florin Road. Several people were standing next to the blaze, according to a report.

Officers found five fires burning in trash piles and garbage cans set near school structures. None of the school buildings were damaged, police said.

Another witness spotted people jumping residential fences near the school grounds and walking in a nearby neighborhood.

From Art Campos:

Roseville police say four purse-snatching incidents have been reported in grocery store parking lots in the city over the past week.

Police spokeswoman Dee Dee Gunther said two men in a white sedan were seen in all of the cases.

In each incident, the men cruised the lot and pulled up next to a woman pushing a shopping cart. The man on the car's passenger side then leaned out the window and grabbed or tried to grab the woman's purse from the cart, Gunther said.

The two men are described as white and in their early 20s, she said.

Their vehicle is a late-model white or cream-colored four-door sedan, possibly a Cadillac, she said.

Anyone who sees a similar vehicle cruising in a parking lot, or other suspicious activity in store parking lots, is urged to call 911 immediately, Gunther said.

Citizens with information about the purse-snatching incidents are asked to call the Roseville Police Department at (916) 774-5070 or the Roseville Crime Stoppers at (916) 783-7867.

From Hudson Sangree:

In his day job, David Rosenberg, left, presides over the Yolo County Superior Court.

Tonight at 7:30, he'll preside over the Yolo Idol Search competition at the county fairgrounds in Woodland.

The Yolo County Fair is in full swing through the weekend, and fair organizers have billed tonight's event as a highlight.

For the fifth year, contestants will sing along to recorded music, karaoke style, as they seek to claim a top prize of $250.

Rosenberg, the county's head judge, will emcee the event, as he did last year.

Contestants must supply their own music and pre-register at the fair office at 1125 East Street.

This year's theme is "Jam Packed With Fun." The fair features livestock barns, art exhibits and carnival rides. Its stages will host a variety of local musical acts.

Saturday night's Auto Destruction Derby is already sold out.

Entry to the fair and many events are free. The entrance is on Gum Avenue in Woodland.

The fair closes at midnight Sunday.

From Kim Minugh:

Sacramento police are looking for a 38-year-old man wanted in connection with the sexual assault of a minor, authorities said.

The suspect, Marco Suarez, left, is known to frequent the Sacramento area, police said.

He is described as a 5-foot-6, 210-pound Hispanic adult with black hair and brown eyes, according to police. Suarez might be driving, or associated with, a silver and blue, mid-80s Chevy S-10 pickup truck.

Police urge anyone with information to contact Crime Alert at (916) 443-HELP. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

From David Richie:

Brutus and Smokey, two pit bull terriers abducted from the Sacramento County animal shelter last month while facing a death sentence, were shot and killed Wednesday at the Motel 6 on College Town Drive.

The dogs attacked a motel maintenance worker and were shot by a sheriff's detective, a sheriff's spokesman said.

Detectives went to the motel about 10:45 a.m. seeking the dogs' owner, Cynthia Peters, and her boyfriend, Mark Parr, said Sgt. Tim Curran.

Detectives considered them suspects in a purse snatching involving an 80-year-old woman who was robbed outside the Bel Air supermarket at Arden Way and Eastern Avenue July 9, Curran said.

Peters and Parr also are suspects in the July 8 break-in at the county animal shelter on Bradshaw Road and abduction of the two dogs. Animal control officials had sentenced the dogs to death for mauling a Sacramento Municipal Utility District worker in June.

Here's Richie's updated story.

From Niesha Lofing:

Police are warning Sacramento residents to be on the lookout for armed robbers who primarily are targeting Asian women in the driveways of their homes.

Five robberies that occurred over the past two weeks at homes in southeast Sacramento, are thought to be linked, said Sacramento police Officer Konrad Von Schoech.

The robbers struck in the late evening, demanded purses, wallets and small electronics and, except once, targeted Asian women in neighborhoods near Elder Creek Road. The victims were robbed as they arrived home and were in their driveways.

Description of the robbers and how they left the crime scene also are similar, Von Schoech said.

"There's so many commonalities here, we can't exclude that," Von Schoech said, referring to the crimes being linked.

Here's Lofing's full story.

From Kim Minugh:

A former Sacramento County court clerk was sentenced today to five years in state prison for his role in altering court records associated with driving under the influence cases for financial payoff, authorities said.

Investigators connected seven false DUI case dismissals to court orders and computer entries handled by Fernando Catlin, left, who was responsible for data entry for active DUI cases while a Superior Court clerk, according to the Sacramento County District Attorney's office.

Investigators also identified Hector Whitley as the person who offered the DUI defendants an opportunity to get their cases dismissed with the help of someone Whitley knew at the court house in exchange for money, a news release stated. Evidence linked those pay-offs to Catlin.

A trial date for Whitley is expected to be set at his next court hearing,Friday.

From Niesha Lofing:

An 18-year-old Sacramento man faces felony child endangerment charges after leaving his 2-year-old brother in a hot car while he ran from police Wednesday afternoon.

Undercover Sacramento police officers were stopped at a red light at the intersection of Florin Road and 24th Street at about 4:15 p.m. when they noticed a man smoking what appeared to be marijuana in a car beside them, said police Officer Konrad Von Schoech.

They also saw a small child in a car seat in the in the back of the car, he said.

"They feared for the safety of the child and attempted to get the guy's attention," Von Schoech said.

Here's Lofing's full story.

The Bee's Regional editions publish Public Safety Watch stories each Thursday. Here's a roundup of those stories and Police/Fire Logs, as compiled by Bee reporters:

Sacramento/North Sacramento/south Sacramento:
Vehicle stop near airport leads to arrest of two
Police/Fire Log

Arden/Carmichael:
Man pistol-whipped in home robbery in Carmichael
Police see jaywalking on the rise
Police/Fire Log

Elk Grove:
Arrests take toll on local gang
Police/Fire Log

Citrus Heights/Orangevale/Fair Oaks:
Woman is denied bail in Citrus Heights tantrum
Police/Fire Log

Folsom:
Police/Fire Log

Rancho Cordova/Gold River:
Police/Fire Log

El Dorado:
Suspected shoplifter bagged at Cameron Park supermarket

South Placer:
Deadline nears to get Rocklin alarm permit
Police/Fire Log

From Art Campos:

A former Placer County sheriff's deputy was sentenced Wednesday to two years in a county jail and placed on five years probation for having sexual relations with two underage girls during his years as a law enforcement officer.

Michael Stuart Johnson was given the term by retired Placer Superior Court Judge J. Richard Couzens, who expressed concern over the ex-deputy's safety if he were to be housed in a state prison.

Johnson, 26, who worked two years for the Sheriff's Department, was arrested Oct. 5 after detectives looked into reports that he was having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old girl in Colfax, where he was a patrol officer.

Further investigation revealed allegations of a prior sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl from 2003 to 2004 when Johnson was a police officer in Auburn. The probe also uncovered the alleged distribution of lewd material to a 15-year-old girl in 2007 and the illegal use of a law enforcement computer system.

Johnson resigned as a deputy in December and pleaded guilty in May to five criminal charges.

Under terms of his sentencing, Johnson must serve two full years in jail without possibility of alternative sentencing or of earning a shorter jail stay based on good-conduct credits. He faced a state prison term of four years and eight months.

"Two years in custody is not a slap on the wrist," said prosecutor Garen Horst. "If he'd gone to prison, he'd be eligible for half-time credits, meaning he would have served two years and four months. So I agree that this was a pretty harsh punishment."

Lt. Jeffrey Ausnow said Johnson will not be housed in the county jail in Auburn. He will serve the two-year sentence at a jail facility in an undisclosed county, he said.

Four Sacramento police officers will be promoted today to the rank of sergeant.

Wendy Brown, Benjamin Gomez II, Roman Murrietta and Daniel Nutley will be promoted during a ceremony at 11:30 a.m. at the Sacramento Police Department, 5770 Freeport Boulevard.

The officers all bring "considerable experience, education and expertise," to their new positions, a police news release states.

Officers must have three years of continuous service with the Sacramento Police Department to be qualify for promotion to sergeant, according to the city of Sacramento's Web site.

Sergeants are ranked a level above police officer and report to a police lieutenant or higher-ranking officer. They have lead responsibility for carrying out an assignment independently or with lower ranking officers.

Some of the sergeants' duties and responsibilities include training, counseling and evaluating lower-ranking officers, supervising complex situations, gathering evidence for court preparation, testifying in court, and apprehending, interrogating and arresting suspected criminals, the Web site states.

- Niesha Lofing

From Kim Minugh:

Law enforcers across the region will begin cracking down on drunken driving this weekend in anticipation of Labor Day festivities.

The enforcement is part of the statewide "Avoid" campaign funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

On Saturday, the Sacramento County "Avoid the Capital 15" task force - composed of representatives from 15 agencies - will conduct a sobriety checkpoint in Elk Grove. Also on that day, the "Avoid the 8" Yolo County task force will begin its two-week long crackdown leading up to Labor Day.

In 2006, nearly 13,500 people died in crashes in which the driver or motorcycle rider was legally drunk, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. More than 300 of them were children under the age of 15.

Authorities encourage area residents to plan ahead to avoid drunken driving.

Click here for more information about "Avoid" campaign.

From David Richie:

El Dorado County sheriff's detectives tracked a man with a lengthy criminal record to Roseville on Tuesday, arresting him for his suspected involvement in an attempted raid on a Placerville area hydroponics equipment shop.

When sheriff's deputies interrupted that caper about 1 a.m. June 11, Timothy Alan Anderson allegedly led them on a vehicle chase that ran along Highway 50 and for about four miles on Ponderosa Road before Anderson crashed his truck and fled, leaving one of his accomplices injured in the wreckage.

The vehicle was registered in his name and detectives have been looking for him ever since, said Sgt. Phil Chovanec, sheriff's office spokesman.

Investigators eventually determined that he was staying at an address on Sawtelle Road, west of Washington Boulevard and not too far from the Roseville Police Station on Junction Boulevard.

Anderson was booked into El Dorado County Jail on suspicion of second-degree burglary, possession of concentrated cannabis and evading police officers with serious bodily injury.

Jail records indicate that bail is set at $115,000 for the three offenses. An additional bail enhancement of $60,000 was added noting that Anderson has four prior felony convictions.

When people flee from police officers, death or serious injury can be right around the corner, Chovanec said. He stressed that a pursuit endangers the suspect, the officers and any other driver, pedestrian or bicyclist who might be on the road.

From Art Campos:

Rocklin police are seeing some creative behavior and hearing a variety of opinions and excuses from those cited for violating a new law against using hand-held cell phones while driving.

During a grace period in July, when the new law went into effect, officers gave 77 verbal warnings to violators, said Rocklin Police Lt. Lon Milka. But this month they've issued 54 citations.

"People will think of just about anything to try to get out of a ticket," Milka said. "Our job is to hack our way through the excuses and enforce the laws."

Among the excuses and opinions Rocklin officers have heard, are:

• "I can't stand that stupid earpiece."

• "I haven't figured out how to use my Bluetooth yet."

• "My wife said I sounded like I was in a toilet so I switched back to cell."

• "I was waiting to get a ticket before I spend money on a Bluetooth."

• "The fine is just a business expense. I'll write it off."

• "Is it not more of a hazard to fumble around trying to get the ear thing in?"

• "I wasn't using my phone. I was just resting my head against it."

And one motorist tried to fool a motorcycle officer who spotted him using a cell phone, Milka said.

The driver "flipped his cell phone shut and acted as if he was using an electric shaver while driving," he said.

The quick thinking didn't prevent the driver from getting a citation, which carries a base fine of $20 for a first offense. Subsequent citations earn a $50 fine.

California Department of Corrections Parole Agents in Sacramento are seeking Bobbie Jean Moten on a felony no-bail arrest warrant for suspicion of parole violations and absconding parole, Sacramento Crime Alert officials report.

According to authorities, Moten has an extensive history of financial crimes, counterfeit checks and fake bank accounts.

Moten is described as 22 years old, 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 187 pounds with brown eyes and black hair. Her whereabouts are unknown.

Anyone with information about Moten is urged to contact Crime Alert at (800) AA-CRIME or (916) 443-HELP. Callers can remain anonymous and maybe eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

From Niesha Lofing:

Three people were assaulted during two residential burglaries this morning along the border of Orangevale and Citrus Heights, incidents police say could be related.

Citrus Heights police are searching for a burglar who broke into home, struck a woman in the face and fled. The assailant did not take anything from the home.

It happened about 2:37 a.m. at a home in the 7700 block of Wachtel Way.

Then, a man broke into a home in the 8500 block of Linda Creek Court about 4:53 a.m., tied up two elderly residents and stole their burgundy Dodge Sebring, said Sacramento County Sheriff's Sgt. Tim Curran.

The intruder is described as a man in his 20s, wearing black clothing and a mask, he said.

The Orangevale home is about eight-tenths of a mile from the Citrus Heights home.

Authorities think the two incidents may be related.

"There's a strong likelihood that they could be connected," said Citrus Heights Police Lt. Ray Bechler of the two burglaries.

Bechler would not disclose why authorities believe the crimes are linked.

In Citrus Heights, a woman who was house-sitting at the home on Wachtel Way awoke when she heard a noise at the front door.

"She thought it was a cat scratching or something," Bechler said.

The woman, who is in her 50s, checked out the noise and found a person inside the house. The burglar hit her in the face and ran away, Bechler said.

The woman called 911 from her cell phone and was taken to Mercy San Juan Medical Center. Bechler said the woman was not badly hurt.

Police set up a perimeter and searched the area, but did not find the subject, he said.

Police have a "very vague" description of the burglar, who was only described as wearing black clothing.

Investigations of both incidents continues.

Anyone with information about the Orangevale burglary is asked to call the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department at (916) 874-5115.

From Niesha Lofing:

A Redding woman is recovering in a Sacramento hospital after she and three other people were violently attacked in their home by her former boyfriend.

One of the attack victims was killed, along with the assailant, who committed suicide.

Redding police investigated after receiving a reports of gunfire inside an apartment on Hartnell Avenue, a police news release states.

Three people lived at the home - Patricia Haggard, 56, Phillip Lampella, 28, and Shasta Maw, 27. Maw is Haggard's daughter. Haggard's friend, Nancy Bosley, 63, of San Jose was visiting Haggard and staying at the home at the time.

Here's Lofing's complete story.

Interesting story detailing how a serial burglar chose his targets, as reported by the Los Angeles Times:

Ignacio Pena Del Rio, known as one of Los Angeles' most industrious and prolific cat burglars until his arrest in 2006, agreed to authorities' unusual request. He starred in a 70-minute video in which he disclosed all his techniques for a Los Angeles Police Department training video.

Pena Del Rio, who came to the United States with hopes of becoming a professional mixed martial arts fighter and earned a business degree from the University of San Diego, was convicted of stealing more than $16 million in loot.

The Spanish national was sentenced Tuesday to 7 1/2 years behind bars for the two-year crime spree that targeted scores of victims in Burbank, Glendale, Los Angeles, Pasadena and Simi Valley.

Here's the Times full story.

From Niesha Lofing:

A Sacramento man pleaded guilty Tuesday to possession of ammunition by a felon after buying bullets from a local sporting goods store.

Ramon Michael Clark, 31, entered his guilty plea in federal court before U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez, according to a news release by the office of U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott.

Clark's illegal activity came to light as a result of a pilot program requiring merchants to collect identifying information from people buying ammunition.

Clark bought 50 rounds of .25 caliber ammunition from Big 5 Sporting Goods on Mack Road in February.

Clark was required to submit his driver's license and a thumbprint to complete the sale in compliance with a recently enacted ordinance, the release states.

Sacramento police used the information to determine that Clark had been convicted of possessing marijuana for sale and possessing narcotics while armed, both felonies.

Clark is scheduled to be sentenced by Mendez at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 4.

He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, the release states.

The case resulted from joint investigation by Sacramento police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

From David Richie:

Citrus Heights police put the pressure on a suspected marijuana grower and closed down a suspected methamphetamine house during two separate actions late last week.

Patrol deputies went to a duplex in the 7700 block of Pompei Court, south of Antelope Road, Friday to serve a felony arrest warrant on Kevin Allan Radder, 31, officials said. A marijuana cultivation charge had been filed against Radder in late June when officers discovered a large number of plants at that address.

During their visit Friday, officers spotted about 73 more plants - some up to 5 feet tall in the backyard and shorter plants inside, along with lights and other equipment. Radder was booked into Sacramento County Main Jail on suspicion of cultivating marijuana.

Complaints from neighbors about suspected drug activity led Special Investigations Unit officers to a house in the 7200 block of Geowood Way about 3:15 p.m. Thursday. Officers were armed with a search warrant.

During the search they turned up just more than three grams of suspected methamphetamine, along with weight scales, cash, a shotgun, shotgun shells and other indications of drug sales activity.

Christopher Wendel Torscher, 47, and Paul Michael Kirk, 28, were both arrested on suspicion of maintaining a house where controlled substances are used or sold. Kirk also was booked on suspicion of possession of controlled substances for sale because much of the evidence was found in his room.

Although the amount seized was relatively small, the action is still important, officials said.

"Most of our cases are generated from tips we receive from residents," said Sgt. Doug Fletcher, SIU supervisor. "That kind of illegal activity can really have an impact on the quality of life in a neighborhood."

Fifty-six guns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition that have been taken off the streets in the last six months were displayed today at the Sacramento Police Department property warehouse.