Sacto 9-1-1

The Sacramento Police Department will conduct two sobriety and driver's license checkpoints this weekend in an effort to keep impaired drivers off the road.

This first will be held Saturday night at Northgate Boulevard and Patio Drive in the South Natomas area. The second is scheduled Sunday night at Arden and Challenge ways near Arden Fair mall.

Checkpoint operations will begin at 8 p.m. each evening and continue for five to seven hours.

Two men were arraigned today in Placer County Superior Court, accused of burglarizing high-end electronics retailers in five Bay Area counties, then selling the merchandise on an online auction website.

Justin Mahlet, 37, of Sacramento and Jason Tate, 41, of Rocklin were arraigned on 17 felony counts of burglary that resulted in losses of $400,000 in stolen goods and property damage, according to a news release from the California Attorney General's Office. Both men pleaded not guilty.

Mahlet and Tate turned themselves in in July and were released on bail set at $105,000 and $50,00 respectively.

By Cynthia Hubert
chubert@sacbee.com

A Sacramento man who dragged his dog, tethered to the back of his pickup truck, down the street and refused to get her care for her injuries, has been convicted of felony animal cruelty.

Phillip "Mohammed" Jackson, 42, was sentenced Friday to one year in county jail and five years of formal probation in the death of his pit bull terrier, named Lovely, said Sacramento County deputy district attorney Hilary Bagley Franzoia.

After an argument with a friend last October, Jackson drove off in his truck, apparently unaware that Lovely, who had been tethered in the bed, had fallen and was being dragged across the asphalt. The dog was severely injured, Bagley Franzoia said, but instead of taking her for treatment or euthanasia he dropped her at a friend's home.

Folsom police arrested a parolee this afternoon following a chase and lockdown of an elementary school.

A resident in the 200 block of Baurer Circle called police at 12:45 p.m. to report that a family member was trying to force his way into the caller's home. The suspect, 40-year-old Timothy Forney (pictured) of Folsom, was identified as a parolee at large who was wanted by the California Department of Corrections. Police also received information that Forney might be armed with a handgun.

As officers arrived at the residence, Forney sped away from the house in a vehicle, according to a Police Department news release. He lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a nearby fence.

By Denny Walsh
dwalsh@sacbee.com

Over the strong objections of federal prosecutors, Bart Wayne Volen, charged as the key culprit in an $18 million theft from the United Auburn Indian Community, today was ordered released on $3.5 million bail.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Dale A. Drozd directed that the bail be secured with a home in Maui and an $800,000 bond signed by Volen's son.

The judge also ordered approximately $573,000 in Volen bank accounts in Maui, San Diego and Thailand transferred to the client trust account of his attorney, Matthew Jacobs. None of that money may be withdrawn without the approval of a court officer, Drozd directed.

Drunk driving checkpoints are planned in Citrus Heights and Davis during the long Labor Day weekend.

The Citrus Heights checkpoint begins tonight at 7 p.m. and continues to 3 a.m. Saturday at a still-undisclosed location. Officers at the checkpoint will also check to see if motorists have proper driver's licenses.

Officers from a variety of Yolo County jurisdictions will be conducting a drunk driving checkpoint in Davis from 7 p.m. Saturday to 3 a.m. Sunday. Exact location of the checkpoint has not been released.

Participating officers include Woodland police, Davis police, Winters police, Yolo County sheriff's deputies and the California Highway Patrol.

The City of Sacramento reminds residents to be safe while enjoying Labor Day activities.

"We want residents to be mindful and exercise safety precautions while celebrating this weekend," state Fire Chief Ray Jones in a press release.

Tips for the holiday weekend from the city:

 Drink plenty of water while enjoying outdoor activities.

 Wear sun screen lotion.

 If you must leave a pet in a car for any amount of time, park in the shade and leave the windows down.

 Wear a life jacket when swimming at the river.

 Be careful to watch children around swimming pools.

 Don't BUI - boat under the influence.

Placer County residents who want an inside look at their sheriff's department can sign up for the Community Awareness Academy.

Topics include air operations, search and rescue, bomb squad, the Special Enforcement Team, the boat unit, investigations, hostage negotiators, the canine unit and the drug task force.

Field trips are planned to the jail and morgue, the dispatch center and the air operations hangar.

Six show horses perished in a fire that swept through a barn outside of Dixon this morning.

Dixon fire officials said the horses were already dead by the time firefighters arrived at Dreamland Farms, a 60-acre ranch that raises and sells horses for jumping competitions and other events in show arenas.

On Dreamland Farms website, horses at the ranch are offered for sale. Sale price include $12,000 for a 15-year-old "jumper" for $12,000 to $50,000 for 12-year-old champion.

When firefighters arrived about 1:30 a.m. farm in the 8100 block of North Meridian Road near Sweeney Road the horse barn was fully involved in flames. The barn was destroyed in the blaze.

Minor damage was sustained to a second barn. Cause of the fire is under investigation.

Bee reporters answer questions about area crime news, trends and other issues.

QUESTION: What is the status of the prosecution of Daniel Chartraw, accused of multiple financial schemes that duped people of millions of dollars? He was arrested and charged in May.
Submitted by: Sam Wiggins, San Diego

ANSWER: Former El Dorado Hills resident Daniel Chartraw was indicted by a federal grand jury in Sacramento on 18 counts of wire fraud in connection with uranium mines, oil commodities, precious metals in concentrate, dairy financing, gold refining and mining, and movie production.

Folsom police are seeking information regarding a dog (pictured) that was rescued Sunday night after it was found stranded on a ledge at the bottom of cliffs at Lake Natoma.

A sergeant with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation noticed the dog, and Folsom Fire Department crews responded about 7 p.m. Sunday, deploying a boat to rescue the animal.

Officials believe the dog, a female Queensland Heeler mix, may have fallen into the water upstream from the Folsom Lake Crossing. She was very weak when rescued but is recovering at the Folsom Animal Shelter, according to a Police Department news release.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call Folsom Police Animal Control Officer Cindy Walden at (916) 439-2268.

The Placer County Sheriff's Department has received a grant to help combat underage drinking and alcohol sales to minors during the coming year.

The Auburn, Lincoln, Rocklin and Roseville police departments also will participate in activities funded by the $99,760 grant from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, according to a Sheriff's Department news release.

Throughout the year, the Sheriff's Department plans to target problematic ABC-licensed establishments that sell alcoholic beverages to minors and obviously intoxicated adult patrons. Minor-decoy and "shoulder-tap" operations also will be conducted countywide to minimize minors' access to alcohol, officials said.

By David Ruiz

druiz@sacbee.com

A Yuba County man was injured Thursday morning in a car-to-car shooting near Yuba Community College, said sheriff's Lieutenant Damon Gil.

Shortly before 7:30 a.m., police received multiple calls about a gunshot heard near the 6000 block of College View Drive in Linda. Police had conflicting accounts on how many gunshots were heard, Gil said.

The victim was driving when he was shot at from another vehicle, Gil said. He said the bullet penetrated the driver's door and the victim was struck with metal shrapnel. Officers have not confirmed if the victim was struck with shrapnel from the interior of the car or from the bullet, Gil said.

Deputies are looking for suspects in a silver or gray four-door car.

The motive for the shooting is unknown.

Reclusive twin sisters who were found dead in their South Lake Tahoe home in February died of natural causes, according to El Dorado County investigators.

The Sheriff's Office announced today that the determination regarding the deaths of Patricia and Joan Miller, 73, was made after a review of pathology reports and evidence from the Miller residence. A pathology report concluded that Patricia Miller died of coronary artery disease. Joan Miller, who relied heavily on her sister for care, died of probable environmental hypothermia, according to a Sheriff's Office news release.

The women were found dead in their home Feb. 26, and sheriff's officials sought the public's help in locating relatives.

Catalytic converter thefts continue to be a problem in Roseville with Toyotas being the prime target for thieves.

This month, 14 catalytic converter thefts were reported, many of them taken from Toyota Tacoma pickups and Sequoia SUVs. Most of the thefts occurred on the west side of Roseville.
One report was received from a moving truck rental yard near Atlantic Street and Interstate 80.

Most catalytic converter thefts are from pickups and SUVs, vehicles that are high off the ground. Thieves slide underneath and unbolt or saw off the converters and then sell them at metal recyclers, Roseville police said.

A man and a woman were killed in a head-on crash early this morning on South Watt Avenue in Sacramento County.

A Sacramento man, Raman Deep Gill, 26, has been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in connection with the fatal crash.

California Highway Patrol officer Michael Bradley said that about 1 a.m. today that Gill was driving a Mercedes automobile northbound on South Watt Avenue near Tokay Lane when he crossed into the southbound lane.

He then collided with a southbound Toyoto Corolla, killing the male driver and a female front seat passenger. Two passengers in the back seat, a man and a woman, were transported to the hospital in critical condition.

Gill suffered minor injuries, Bradley said. His bail is set at $750,000.

PHOTO CAPTION: Ramon Deep Gill

Bee reporters answer questions about area crime news, trends and other issues.

QUESTION: What happened to the person charged with killing James "Jimmy" Hiter the day after Thanksgiving 2011 in Sacramento County?
Submitted by: Marlena M., McClellan

ANSWER: Lionel Doria, 36, is in Sacramento County Jail awaiting trial in the shooting death of James Hiter.

By Denny Walsh

dwalsh@sacbee.com

Resumption of the federal court hearing on bail for Bart Wayne Volen, charged with masterminding an $18 million theft from the United Auburn Indian Community, is now scheduled for Friday.

Volen, a developer and contractor who did work for the tribe, along with two of its former employees, are accused of carrying out a bribery and kickback scheme involving construction of the tribe's headquarters and other facilities in Auburn.

The tribe operates the Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln.

Prosecutors oppose bail for Volen based on his substantial resources, the ease with which he travels around the world and alleged lack of candor when he was interviewed by a court officer about his finances.

Volen, 53, formerly lived in the Sacramento area, but now divides his time between a home in the San Diego area and one in Hawaii.

The U.S. Justice Department announced today that it and the National Federation of the Blind have reached a settlement with the Sacramento Public Library Authority to supply e-book readers for the blind.

The settlement resolves allegations that the library violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by using "inaccessible" Barnes & Noble Nook electronic readers in the library lending program.

The settlement agreement calls for the library not to acquire any more e-readers that exclude the blind who need features such as text-to-speech functions or the ability to access menus through audio or touch options.

"Emerging technologies like e-readers are changing the way we interact with the world around us and we need to ensure that people with disabilities are not excluded from the programs where these devices are used," stated Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez in a press release.

The library has also agreed to acquire at least 18 e-readers that persons with disabilities can use.

The California Highway Patrol will be out in force from Friday night through Monday looking for drunk drivers and speeding vehicles. The CHP averages about 1,500 arrests for drunk or drugged driving every Labor Day enforcement period.

Last year, during the Labor Day weekend, 29 people were killed in traffic crashes in California. Some died because they didn't buckle up.

"It is disheartening to know that 19 people lost their lives last Labor Day weekend as a result of not wearing their seat belt," said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow.

A company serving the Sacramento region is ready to drive people to and from backyard beer and barbecue this Labor Day weekend.

For $26.95 an hour, with no restrictions on distance, number of stops and how long the party goes, Driver Please is in business to take the client in their own car to the party and return them home.

Driver Please, based in Roseville, provides screened drivers who drive the client in their own car to special events, the airport and other destinations. The driving services is also an option for seniors who can't drive anymore. Driver Please is at (877) 687-3748.

On Labor Day, Driver Please owner Mike Dumke said in a press release, his drivers provide a way to get home safely after drinking - during a crackdown on drunk driving.

Bee reporters answer questions about area crime news, trends and other issues.

QUESTION: Whatever happened to Joseph Simlick of Loomis, who was charged with killing his ex-girlfriend's parents, Jack and Susan Martin, in Sutter County in July 2010?
Submitted by: Bob, El Dorado Hills

ANSWER: Joseph Hayden Simlick, 23, remains in Sutter County Jail, where he is being held without bail, charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the death of Jack and Susan Martin.

A fire that damaged a vacant house in the Arden Arcade area Monday night is under investigation and described by authorities as suspicious.

Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District crews were dispatched shortly after 7:30 p.m. to 3649 Chadsworth Way regarding a report of smoke coming from attic vents. Firefighters found a vacant house with light smoke coming from the attic.

Crews quickly located the source of the fire -- wiring connected to the heating system -- and extinguished it within five minutes of arriving at the scene, according to a department news release. Officials said fire damage was limited to the attic and the hallway closet, where the fire started. Damage was estimated at $20,000.

No injuries were reported.

Anyone with information regarding the fire is asked to call the Metro Fire Arson Tip Line at (916) 859-3775.

The Rocklin Police Department seeks to identify three women who were involved in the armed robbery of a Dollar Tree store Monday night.

Police were called to the store at 6655 Lonetree Blvd. at 9:21 p.m. The victims reported that three women entered the store just before closing time.

One of the women, brandishing a silver handgun, grabbed a male employee an pulled him to the ground while holding the pistol with her other hand, according to a Police Department news release. The other two suspects held the male employee down while the suspect with the firearm ordered another employee to open the register drawers.

By David Ruiz
druiz@sacbee.com

Albert Padilla, 23, was arrested last Thursday in connection with the alleged murder of 26-year-old Luis Alfredo Vasquez, Sacramento Police Department officials said. Padilla's girlfriend, Selina Torres, 21, was arrested Monday on suspicions of accessory to murder.

On Aug. 11 at 3:15 a.m., police received multiple calls of gunshots heard on the 2500 block of Traction Avenue in North Sacramento, a news release said.

Public information officer Michele Gigante said that Padilla, Torres and Vasquez were out drinking together the night of the homicide, when a fight broke out between Padilla and Vasquez amidst a group of people. Padilla pulled out a gun and fired shots into the group, Gigante said. One of those shots hit Vasquez, she said.

The Elk Grove Police Department seeks the community's help in identifying the suspects in the burglaries of two cell phone stores last week.

At 4:42 a.m. Friday, officers responded to an alarm call at the AT&T store at 9170 W. Stockton Blvd. and discovered that the business had been burglarized. While officers were investigating that break-in, another alarm call came in, this one at 5:11 a.m. at the T-Mobile store at 9308 Elk Grove Blvd.

Officers determined that more than $2,000 worth of Dr. Dre Beats headphones were stolen from the AT&T store and 10 cell phones were taken from the T-Mobile store, according to a Police Department news release.

By David Ruiz
druiz@sacbee.com

A woman was found shot and killed Tuesday morning in the North Highlands area, Sacramento Sheriff's Department officials said.

The victim's name is being withheld until her family has been notified, a news release said. Lt. R.L. Davis said the woman is believed to be in her mid-20s.

According to the release, about 6:25 a.m. Tuesday, deputies responded to a call of an injured woman on the 3400 block of Myrtle Avenue.

When detectives arrived on scene, they found the dead woman. She had died of a gunshot wound to her upper body, the release said.

The victim was last seen some time Monday before midnight, the release said. There are no reports of gunshots heard in the nearby surroundings, nor any descriptions of possible suspects. Detectives do not have a motive for the shooting, the release said.

Anyone with information should call the sheriff's homicide bureau at (916) 874-5115 or Crime Alert at (916) 443-4357. Callers to Crime Alert may remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward up to $1,000.

By David Ruiz
druiz@sacbee.com

Traci Lynn Bucher, 27, was arrested on suspicion of stealing up to $4,200 from North Auburn Elementary School said Placer County Sheriff's Department detective Jim Hudson.

"The school board was working on making their new budget for this year," Hudson said, "and in going through last year's numbers, they noticed some money missing."

Bucher, an Auburn resident, served as the president of the Auburn Elementary Parent Teacher Club last year, he said. He said she is not a member of the school faculty.

Bucher was arrested on suspicion of embezzlement and grand theft charges, Hudson said. He said she is already out on bail and is expected in court on Sept. 11.

By Richard Chang
rchang@sacbee.com

The victims of a weekend plane crash in Lake Tahoe have been identified, authorities said Tuesday.

A single-engine plane crashed shortly after taking off from Lake Tahoe Airport Saturday night at 9:50 p.m., killing all five people on board.

The victims were all Fresno residents. They are Harold Cardwell, 60, and his wife Kin Cardwell, 41; Francisco De La Mora, 43, his wife Lorena De La Mora, 39, and their daughter Esmeralda De La Mora, 6.

Witnesses said they heard engine problems before the plane dipped, and the pilot attempted a turn, according to reports from the El Dorado County Sheriff's Department.

The crash ignited a small fire that took more than 90 minutes to put out. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the plane was involved in a 2005 non-injury crash in Destin, Fla.

The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation into the crash.

By Denny Walsh
dwalsh@sacbee

Former Sacramento County Sheriff's Deputy Thomas Lu pleaded guilty this morning in federal court to dealing in firearms without a license, and he has agreed to cooperate with the government in the prosecution of others.

Lu, 42, is charged in a grand jury indictment along with another former sheriff's deputy, a licensed firearms dealer and a man who unlawfully acquired a firearm.

The cases against the other three defendants are pending, and they are due back in court Oct. 10 for a status conference.

U.S. District Judge Lawrence K. Karlton set Nov. 20 for Lu's return to court, but it is unlikely he will be sentenced at that time because he will still be acting as an informant and the quality of his assistance will be a major factor in how much time he spends behind bars, if any.

The crime to which he pleaded guilty carries a maximum five-year prison term.

The Sacramento County Coroner's office has released the name of the teenager who died after being wantonly shot during an Arden Arcade robbery.

Despite life-saving efforts by deputies and medical personnel, Maliek McClendon, 17, died at the hospital about 90 minutes after he was robbed and then gunned down Sunday night.

McClendon was with his girlfriend about 10:30 p.m. Sunday along Wright Street near Fulton and Marconi avenues when they were approached by two men wearing dark, hooded sweatshirts.

Bee reporters answer questions about area crime news, trends and other issues.

QUESTION: What were the circumstances surrounding the incident north of Sacramento two years ago where a man was shot and killed outside a motel room with an assault rifle?
Submitted by: Curious, Sacramento

ANSWER: Charles Antonio Williams was convicted by a Sacramento County jury of murdering 29-year-old Marcel Hatch in May 2010 at the Econo Lodge on Auburn Boulevard.

The Yuba County Sheriff's Department is seeking information regarding an alleged shooting that occurred early Saturday morning.

Deputies responded to Rideout Memorial Hospital about 12:30 a.m. regarding a man who was being treated for an apparent gunshot wound to his upper arm. The man, identified as Xou Thao, 21, of Sacramento, told hospital staff members that he was shot during an altercation at the Full Stop gas station on North Beale Road in Linda, according to a Sheriff's Department news release.

Duputies searched the Full Stop and several other convenience stores and gas stations in Linda but were unable to find any evidence of the incident. Officials said Thao was unable to provide a description of the suspect.

A teenager was robbed and then gunned down Sunday night on the street in Arden Arcade.

The still-unidentified victim, 17, was with his girlfriend about 10:30 p.m. Sunday along Wright Street near Fulton and Marconi avenues when they were approached by two men wearing dark, hooded sweatshirts.

One of the men pointed a handgun at the couple and demanded property. The robbers took the couple's property and then shot the teen.

A Sacramento Superior Court jury today convicted Michael S. Walton of second-degree murder in the April 17, 2011, shooting death of Christopher Michael Milas at an after-hours house party in Del Paso Heights.

Walton, 25, fired several shots from his stolen 9mm semi-automatic handgun when the promoters of the party at a house-turned-club they called the "Alibi" had asked him to leave. Walton claimed he fired in self-defense in the 3:30 a.m. shooting when a physical altercation broke out at the crowded gathering that had been promoted through text messages and fliers.

Milas, 34, had worked for 12 years at Comcast before he was laid off just several days before the shooting, according to his aunt, Brenda Pruitt. She was in court today when the jury announced its verdict after two days of deliberations.

California Highway Patrol officers fired on an escaped inmate when he tried to ram them with a stolen car this morning near Lodi, killing the fugitive and critically injuring a woman in his vehicle, a CHP spokesman said.

California Highway Patrol officer Angel Arceo said the CHP took over the pursuit of the stolen vehicle about 12:10 a.m. from Stockton police near Interstate 5 and March Lane.

Officers began and ended the pursuit twice due to the fleeing suspect's wild driving, said Arceo. The driver at times drove the wrong way on the freeway.

By Richard Chang

rchang@sacbee.com

A reckless go-cart driver was arrested after a short chase, Sacramento police said Sunday.

Edward Valdez, 45, was allegedly driving a go-cart recklessly at the corner of Pinell Street and Roanoke Avenue.

When police tried to stop Valdez, he jumped off the go-cart and ran through a back yard and into a home, according to reports. Valdez, who officers determined to be a parolee-at-large, eventually surrendered after a brief standoff, said officers.

By Richard Chang
rchang@sacbee.com

Two suspects are now in custody after they robbed a Camping World store in Rocklin early Sunday morning, authorities said.

Rocklin Police responded to a tripped alarm at the store around 12:30 a.m. Sunday and saw a white SUV leaving the area. When police tried to stop the vehicle, it sped onto Interstate 80, according to officers.

Police eventually apprehended two men, 44-year-old Kreig Bettencourt of Modesto and 27-year-old Colby Osborne of Columbia. Police allegedly found several stolen generators and drugs in the vehicle. The pair was booked into Placer County Jail.

Aviation and law enforcement officials today are investigating the Saturday night crash of a single-engine aircraft shortly after takeoff from Lake Tahoe airport at South Lake Tahoe.

Officials said there were multiple victims aboard the plane but no identities have been confirmed.

Witnesses reported hearing engine problems before seeing the plane dip downward as the pilot attempted a turn, according to a report from the El Dorado County Sheriff's Department. The crash occurred about 9:50 p.m.

Residents in the Sacramento region are feeling the relief of a marine layer pushing through the Delta and cooling the valley today, but firefighters to the north are battling to stay ahead of blazes burning southeast of Redding and in the Plumas National Forest.

The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning in the north state fire areas involving the Ponderosa fire 25 miles southeast of Redding and the fire burning in Plumas National Forest. The NWS is forecasting winds of between 10 mph to 20 mph, gusting to 35 mph, from noon to 10 p.m. for the northeast mountains of interior California, east of the Northern Sacramento Valley.

Humidity will be low, just 13 percent, said Kathy Hoxsie, forecaster for NWS.

Bee reporters answer questions about area crime news, trends and other issues.

QUESTION: During the rains and storms about six to eight months ago, a car going down Truxel Road at a high rate of speed made a left turn onto Garden Highway and accidentally went off the road and crashed into high standing water and drowned. Who was in that car and exactly what happened?
Submitted by: Darlene, Sacramento

ANSWER: According to a story in The Bee, Sacramento police received a call about 5:30 a.m. March 25 reporting a vehicle speeding southbound on Truxel Road in the Natomas area.

The Sacramento Police Department urges motorists to exercise caution during morning and evening commutes when sun glare can make driving hazardous.

Many of Sacramento's streets are laid out along an east-west and north-south grid. During this time of year, police note, sunrise and sunset coincide with morning and evening commutes for many motorists. Glare most affects drivers when the sun is just above the horizon in the first hour of sunrise and the last hour before sunset.

Two years ago, they city of Sacramento had multiple fatal and serious injury collisions in which sun glare was reported as a factor, according to a Police Department news release.

A 62-year-old Sacramento man has been sentenced to 200 years to life in prison for rape and sexual assault of two women.

Edward Charles Gellock was convicted last month by a Sacramento County jury and sentenced today by Superior Court Judge David De Alba.

On April 2, 2011, Gellock lured a homeless woman into his apartment by promising her a warm and dry place to sleep. Once she was inside, he beat, choked and sexually assaulted her, according to a Sacramento County District Attorney's Office news release. Two weeks later, on April 23, he beat, choked and raped his female In-Home Supportive Services worker.

When Sacramento police responded to Gellock's residence at the Ping Yuen Senior Apartments at 420 I St., he kept officers at bay by holding a cigarette lighter to an oxygen tank and threatening to blow up the apartment if they came any closer. The apartment complex was evacuated, and Gellock was subsequently taken into custody.

A West Sacramento man has been sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for child molestation.

Dmitry Dudkin, 27, pleaded no contest on July 24 to two counts of child molestation in the case. He was sentenced today by Yolo Superior Court Judge Stephen Mock.

Dudkin molested an 8-year-old girl from 2009 to 2011, according to a Yolo County District Attorney's Office news release. The crimes were discovered when the girl went to school with a hickey on her neck, authorities said.

The girl told police that Dudkin showed her pornography and asked her to perform various sexual acts. She also told authorities that Dudkin took pictures of her with his cell phone.

Members of the Yolo County High-Tech Crimes Task Force analyzed Dudkin's computers and cell phones and found provocative photos of the victim.

Law enforcement agencies are continuing their summer/Labor Day campaign to keep impaired drivers off the road, with sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols scheduled this weekend in the Sacramento region.

The campaign began Aug. 17 and runs through Labor Day. Through midnight Thursday, officers representing 17 law enforcement agencies in Sacramento County reported a total of 132 arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In Placer County, officers representing seven agencies arrested 23 individuals for driving under the influence through midnight Wednesday, according to a news release. No DUI-related deaths were reported in either county since the campaign began last week.

A sobriety checkpoint is scheduled tonight in the city of Sacramento as the second week of the campaign gets under way. Extra DUI saturation patrols will be deployed in the cities of Folsom and Elk Grove tonight and in Citrus Heights and Elk Grove on Saturday night. Extra patrols also will be deployed in Elk Grove on Sunday night.

Repairs were completed early this morning to a leaky gas pipe in the old part of Folsom.

A portion of Sutter and Wool streets in Folsom's historic district was evacuated Thursday night as Pacific Gas and Electric crews investigated the leak in a natural gas main.

A PG&E service representative responded to a call reporting an odor in the area. As of 10 p.m., crews had located the site of the leak.

A PG&E spokeswoman said today that crews had dug down to expose the leaky pipe by 11 p.m. The flow of gas was stopped at 2:50 a.m. today.

Crews were able to leave the site after all repairs were made at 6:35 a.m. today.

Crews fighting wildland blazes are anticipating better conditions the next two days with relief predicted from gusty winds, according to Cal Fire.

About 8,000 firefighters are making progress against nine fires that have raged across the north state. However, strong winds may return on Sunday, according to a Cal Fire press release.

Cal Fire crews contained the Mill fire in Tehama County Thursday evening. Local, state and federal firefighters continue to battle other blazes:

 Ponderosa fire, Tehama and Shasta counties, 28,000 acres, 68 percent contained.

 North Pass fire, Mendocino County, 20,775 acres, 18 percent contained.

 Chips fire, Plumas County, 63,160 acres, 55 percent contained.

 Fort Complex, Siskiyou County, 6,683 acres, 37 percent contained.

 Ramsey fire, Calaveras County, 1,137 acres, 95 percent contained.

 Rush Fire, Lassen County, 330,793 acres, 64 percent contained.

 Bagley Complex, Shasta County, 11,083 acres, 5 percent contained.

 Antelope fire, Modoc County, 650 acres, 25 percent contained.

 Barry Point Fire, Oregon and Modoc County, 93,000 acres, 70 percent contained.

Rancho Cordova police need help in finding a teenager who has gone missing.

Fatima Scott, 16, who had been staying with her family at a motel on Point East Drive in Rancho Cordova, is considered at-risk because she is without needed medication.

Scott was last seen riding light rail in downtown Sacramento at about 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

She is described as black, 5 feet 6 inches tall and about 135 pounds. She was wearing a pink shirt and blue jeans. Her head is shaved but she does wear a blond and black wig.

Anyone who has seen Scott is asked to call police at (916) 874-5115.

PHOTO CAPTION: Fatima Scott

Bee reporters answer questions about area crime news, trends and other issues.

QUESTION: What happened to the engineer from Rancho Seco who was accused of sending threatening letters to President Bush? It seems like there wasn't actually anthrax but an inert powder used. Was the guy convicted and sentenced to prison or a medical facility?
Submitted by: Emmi, Sacramento

ANSWER: Michael Lee Braun, who worked as a nuclear engineer at the Sacramento Municipal Utility District's now-decommissioned Rancho Seco nuclear generating plant, was arrested in 2006 for sending threatening letters and white powder to the Serrano Country Club in El Dorado Hills, where President Bush was appearing at a fundraising event for then-Rep. John Doolittle.

A portion of Sutter and Wool streets in Folsom's historic district were evacuated tonight as Pacific Gas and Electric crews investigated a leak in a natural gas main.

Jana Morris, a PG&E spokeswoman, said a service representative responded to a call reporting an odor of natural gas in the area. As a precaution, she said, he asked the Folsom Fire Department to evacuate the area until the cause could be determined.

As of 10 p.m., she said crews had located the site of the leak and were digging to determine the source and the cause. She said it was believed the leak was in a 4-inch plastic gas main, but there are other lines in the area. Repairs are expected to take about six hours.

Folsom police Sgt. Jason Browning said PG&E requested the evacuation about 8 p.m., and police and fire personnel blocked off the intersection of Sutter and Wool streets, extending about 25 yards in all four directions.

Only one business, The Cellar, a wine bar, had to be evacuated. Due to the hour, most other businesses in the area had already closed. No homes were evacuated.

A Yolo County jury has convicted two Woodland gang members of brutally attacking a man three years ago as he sat in his car outside a convenience store.

After a two-week trial and one day of deliberations, Jose Rodolfo Rivas, 24, and Aaron Anthony Valadez, 22, were found guilty Monday of aggravated mayhem with gang enhancements and additional felony charges of robbery, according to a Yolo County District Attorney's Office news release.

The attack occurred in the early morning hours of Sept. 20, 2009. Shortly after midnight, the victim drove an acquaintance to the AM/PM minimart near County Road 102 and Interstate 5 in Woodland. As the victim waited in the car for his acquaintance to come out of the store, he saw several young men in the parking lot.

A federal grand jury in Sacramento today returned a 23-count indictment against an Elk Grove man accused of debit card fraud.

Mordechay Altit, 33 -- also known as Michael Altit, Anthony Altit and Tony Altit -- is charged with mail fraud, wire fraud, access device fraud and money laundering associated with his fraudulent use of debit cards, and merchant and terminal identification numbers, according to a federal Department of Justice news release.

The indictment alleges that Altit applied for debit cards issued from banks or other providers of debit cards in his own name or using the names and Social Security numbers of other people. Altit then used merchant and terminal identification numbers issued to merchants and businesses across the country to cause fraudulent credits and refunds to be placed on the debit cards he controlled, according to the indictment. Before the businesses could rescind the transactions, Altit used the cards to spend and transfer money. He allegedly had at least $450,000 in fraudulent merchant returns credited to his debit cards.

The case is the result of a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service and the Internal Revenue Service -Criminal Division.

The Sacramento Police Department seeks the public's help in identifying a suspect in two armed robberies at ATMs earlier this month.

The robberies occurred at 8:55 p.m. Aug. 7 at the Bank of America, 1830 Del Paso Blvd., and at 10 p.m. Aug. 8 at Wells Fargo Bank, 1532 W. El Camino Ave.

In both cases, the suspect targeted the victims after they had withdrawn money and robbed them at gunpoint, according to a Police Department news release.

The Elk Grove Police Department is asking for the public's help in identifying two suspects in an armed robbery of a Pizza Hut restaurant.

At 11:04 p.m. Wednesday, officers responded to the Pizza Hut at 9015 Bruceville Road regarding an armed robbery that had just occurred. Officers were told that two individuals entered the business through the back door and confronted several employees inside.

One of the intruders was armed with a handgun and fired one round into the ceiling, according to a Police Department news release.The two then ordered the employees to go to the front of the store, where they were told to get on the ground. The intruders proceeded to remove an undisclosed amount of money from the register, then ran out the back door.

One lane of the connector ramp from southbound Interstate 5 to eastbound Highway 50 is closed as the result of a jackknifed big rig carrying apricots, according to the California Highway Patrol.

There is no estimated time for reopening the lane, and the CHP warns of delays in the area. Motorists are advised to find an alternate route.

All lanes of the connector were closed from about 12:10 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., when two lanes were reopened.

Thieves stole a new pickup from a car dealership in Folsom, drove it up Highway 50 and this morning crashed into a drug store to steal an ATM.

In the end, the culprits failed to make off with the cash machine from the CVS store in El Dorado Hills. And after the attempted ATM theft, they abandoned the stolen Ford F350 a short distance away, engine running.

Deputies arrived at the store, 4400 Latrobe Road, shortly after an alarm went off at 2:18 a.m. to find the pharmacy front doors on the ground and shattered glass scattered.

Store video security cameras showed that three people in two pickups were involved in the break-in. The white pickup was backed through the front doors and the thieves then tried to pull the ATM out the door.

When that didn't work, the thieves fled in both trucks, abandoning the new truck in the road about a mile away.

PHOTO CAPTION: The attached photos are of the suspects and their vehicles as they attempt to take an ATM machine from the CVS store in El Dorado Hills.

A man was taken into custody in Land Park early today for slugging a Sacramento police officer.

Juan Diego, 26, was booked into Sacramento County Jail on suspicion of battery on a police officer and resisting arrest.

Officers were called to the area of Riverside Boulevard and Adian Avenue about 4:23 a.m. today on loitering report. Police allege that the apparent loiterer, Diego, was not cooperative and eventually punched the officer in the head.

A young woman reported missing earlier today has returned home and is safe, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department.

Alicia Lewis, 27, had been last seen about 8 p.m. Wednesday when she went missing from her residence in the 8500 block of Chris Lane in Orangevale.

She was considered to be at-risk because she was believed to be suicidal, a sheriff's news release stated.
PHOTO CAPTION: Alicia Lewis, 27

Two men and woman have been arrested in the killing of a man during a pot transaction gone bad Tuesday night in Arden Arcade.

Gabriel McAlister, 30, Marcus Logan, 21, and Angel Tewksbury, 23, have been arrested on suspicion of robbery and homicide in the death of Timothy Schweiss, 25, of Sacramento.

On Tuesday night, Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies arrived at the Somerset Apartments about 10:45 p.m. to find the wounded Schweiss. He was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:32 p.m.

Rainbow Bridge in Folsom was closed for nearly two hours Wednesday night because of a traffic collision.

Folsom police Sgt. Jason Browning said the crash occurred about 8:30 p.m. when a Honda Civic traveling eastbound crossed the center line and collided head-on with a westbound motorcycle.

Browning said the motorcyclist was taken to a hospital with moderate injuries. The driver of the Honda was not injured.

Bee reporters answer questions about area crime news, trends and other issues.

QUESTION: What was the outcome of the home invasion and murder in south Sacramento in the mid-'90s involving, I believe, three or four suspects?
Submitted by: Mike, Elk Grove

ANSWER: David Reynoso, Cruz Avila and Pablo Cobb were convicted of first-degree murder, burglary and attempted robbery in the March 6, 1996, slaying of 21-year-old Nicholas Godinez.

A garage fire was responsible for a column of dark smoke in Carmichael this afternoon.

Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District crews responded to a report of a structure fire in the 6200 block of Samoa Way in Carmichael at 3:45 p.m. They arrived to find a fire in the garage of a single-story home.

Two men at the home reported smelling smoke. When they opened the door from the house to the garage, they discovered the fire, according to a Fire District news release. They were able to get out of the house unharmed before firefighters arrived.

The owner of a Sacramento pizza parlor has been arrested on suspicion of furnishing marijuana to and committing lewd acts with a minor at his business.

Police said they received information from a member of the community that John Julian Martinez (pictured), 42, was using his business, Royal Pizza, to entice female juveniles and subject them to sexual behavior. The business is in the 2200 block of Northgate Boulevard.

Martinez was arrested following an investigation by detectives. He is accused of eliciting sexual behavior from juveniles with the promise of providing them with marijuana, according to a Police Department news release. He allegedly displayed lewd conduct at the pizza parlor in addition to touching multiple female juveniles in a sexual manner.

Fire officials are investigating the cause of a fire that destroyed the garage of a vacant residence in Rancho Cordova early this morning.

Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District crews were dispatched to a report of flames at a house in the 3300 block of Romford Way. They arrived to find the garage on fire and already collapsing, according to a Fire District news release.

Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the garage, preventing it from spreading to the house or attic. No other structures were damaged.

A 62-year-old man who had been missing since Friday has been located.

Sacramento County sheriff's officials said Robert Perez (pictured) was found at Kaiser South Medical Center. He was admitted as a "John Doe" on Friday after being hit by a vehicle. Officials said he has been reunited with his family at the hospital.

Perez had been last seen at 3 p.m. Friday riding his bicycle away from his residence in the 6900 block of Richman Way, headed toward Stockton Boulevard in south Sacramento County. He was considered at risk because of diminished mental capacity and because he has been without his medication, according to a Sheriff's Department news release.

Sacramento Sheriff's Department deputies are questioning several people in an effort to find a suspect in the shooting death of a man last night at an Arden Arcade apartment house.

The search this morning at the Somerset Apartments, 2526 Edison Ave., had not resulted in any arrests. The apartment house was evacuated this morning while a search for suspects and evidence was conducted.

Last night, Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies arrived at the apartment house about 10:45 p.m. to find a man dying in the street in the 2500 block of Edison Avenue near Fulton Avenue and the Capital City freeway. He was transported to a hospital, where he died.

According to the department, a dispute between several men in the parking lot outside the apartments preceded the violence, but deputies were unsure of the nature of the dispute.

Residents of the complex said the victim, described by the sheriff's department as a 25-year-old man, lived in an apartment there and was often seen scavenging for cans and bottles in the area.

Island Bramlett, a resident, said arguments, violence, and occasional gunfire are common in the neighborhood. "It's always crowded out here at night," he said. "Especially these warm summer nights--these youngsters are out."

When he heard two shots last night, he ignored them at first. Then, he said, "When I heard that lady scream, I knew something had happened."

He came outside to see the victim flailing on the ground where the apartment complex's driveway meets Edison Avenue. Bystanders were trying to help the man, and paramedics arrived soon afterward.

Bee reporters answer questions about area crime news, trends and other issues.

QUESTION: Do you have any more details regarding the April 9, 1986, crash which took place on Power Inn Road and resulted in four fatalities?
Submitted by: J.T., Sacramento

ANSWER: Four men died in the single-vehicle crash, which occurred in south Sacramento about 11 p.m. April 9, 1986.

The Yuba County Sheriff's Department is investigating a shooting in the Olivehurst area in which two teenagers were injured Tuesday night.

Deputies responded about 10:30 p.m. to the 1800 block of Baugh Avenue regarding a report that two boys had been shot. Deputies found two 17-year-old youths who had suffered gunshot wounds to the upper torso and face, according to a Sheriff's Department news release. Officials said the injuries were not life-threatening.

The victims were in a garage at a residence when an individual approached them and fired a shotgun in their direction, authorities said. The youths retreated into the house and the shooter left in an unknown direction.

The Elk Grove Police Department is looking to identify three suspects in the recent armed robbery of a Holiday Inn Express.

Officers responded to the motel at 2460 Maritime Drive at 12:36 p.m. Aug. 11. They were told that two males (pictured) entered the business and approached an employee who was working at the front counter. One of the men brandished a handgun and demanded that the employee give him all the money in the cash drawer.

Fearing for her safety, the employee gave a portion of the money from the register to each of the suspects, according to a Police Department news release.

Sacramento police seek the public's help identifying a man suspected of robbing numerous jewelry stores over the past couple of months.

The suspect (pictured) has entered the stores and asked to look at various pieces of jewelry. He has then taken the jewelry and left on foot, according to a Police Department news release.

In the most recent incident, police said, he was involved in a physical confrontation with the jewelry store employee, who suffered minor injuries.

Sacramento police have arrested a suspect in a string of armed robberies that have occurred this summer.

The arrest of the man was made on Friday by detectives from the police neighborhood crime unit, with the assistance of the SWAT officers.

Police declined to identify the suspect at this time due to the ongoing investigation. A press release noted that evidence was located that connected the man to the robberies.

A man hit and killed by a pickup in Woodland has been identified today as Pablo Castro, 38, of Woodland.

Castro was hit near intersection of East Street and Lemen Avenue just before 8 a.m. Monday.

Arriving Woodland police officers and firefighters found Castro lying in Lemen Avenue east of the intersection with a head injury. The driver of the pickup had stopped his vehicle nearby.

He was transported by ambulance to the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, where he was pronounced dead at 8:40 a.m.

Woodland Police Department spokesman Sgt. Steve Guthrie said on Monday that traffic investigators are unsure what caused the fatal collision but do not believe the driver of the pickup was at fault.

Demolition of burned remains of the McKinley Park playground began today thanks to a Sacramento company.

American Technologies Inc., a firm that handles water, fire and other damage, has volunteered to perform the work for free.

It is expected that the clean-up will take three days. Fire destroyed about one-third of the big, wooden play area in east Sacramento's McKinley Park on July 21.

The demolition work would have cost about $7,500 if American Technologies had not offered to donate their services. Already pledged in-kind and cash donations to rebuild are estimated at $35,000.

Donations include $5,000 from California Senate president pro tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, to a 7 year old's lemonade stand profit.

A fun run, raffles and other fundraisers are planned to raise money for the playground, which is a magnet for people from all over Sacramento. The playground is located near a pond, library, basketball courts and swimming pool.

Barry Metcalf, Sacramento branch manager of American Technologies, said it was natural that his firm would want to help.

"My family has been using the playground for years, so the need was right there in front of us," he said in a City of Sacramento press release.

More information is available at www.rebuildmckinley.org.

The Sacramento County Coroner's office has released the name of the young man who died Monday in a Carmichael shooting.

Coroner's deputies identified him as 24-year-old Andrew David Coy. No place of residence was listed for Coy on the coroner's website.

Sacramento County sheriff's deputies responded to a call at a residence in the 5700 block of Haskell Avenue Monday afternoon where they found Coy with a gunshot wound to his upper back, according to Sheriff's spokesman Jason Ramos.

A bicyclist sustained serious injuries in a collision with a vehicle outside the Mather Field light rail station in Rancho Cordova this evening.

Sacramento Sheriff's Department spokesman Deputy Jason Ramos said the collision occurred just before 8:45 p.m. at the intersection of Folsom Boulevard and Mather Field Road. The bicyclist, a teenage boy, pulled into the eastbound lanes of Folsom Boulevard against a green light, Ramos said. He was struck and dragged along the road 50 to 60 feet.

He was transported to the University of California, Davis Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

Ramos said there was no indication that intoxicants were involved in the collision, and that the driver appeared to have been obeying all traffic laws.

By Bee Staff

A 24-year-old man died today of a gunshot wound in a Carmichael residence, according to the Sacramento Sheriff's Department.

Deputies found the man unresponsive with a gunshot wound to his upper back in a residence in the 5700 blocks of Haskel Avenue, according to Sheriff's spokesman Jason Ramos. They tried to revive him, but medical personnel at the scene declared him dead, according to Ramos.

Ramos said in an interview at the site of the shooting that the victim was not a resident of the duplex where he was found. There were several witnesses to the shooting, and they are being interviewed by officers, Ramos said.

By Andy Furillo

A man who shot and killed a man he didn't know has been sentenced to 56 years to life in prison.

Torrey Levarr Adams, 32, received the term Friday from Sacramento Superior Court Judge Michael P. Kenny for the Dec. 20, 2010, shooting death of 20-year-old Antonne Nelms.

Adams, driving with two acquaintances on Mack Road, stopped and shot Nelms while the victim was walking down the streeet with a friend in the middle of the day.

According to the prosecution, Adams fired because a passenger in his car, Darrell Miller, 19, thought Nelms' friend beat him up at a party a year earlier.

Miller also was convicted and sentenced July 18 to 21-to-life. A third man in the car, Tyvone G. Allen, 20, pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter and also was sentenced last month to eight years in prison.

A man was hit and killed by a pickup in Woodland this morning.

The collision occurred near intersection of East Street and Lemen Avenue just before 8 a.m. Woodland police officers and firefighters found the victim lying in Lemen Avenue east of the intersection with a head injury. The driver of the pickup had stopped his vehicle nearby.

The man was transported by ambulance to the University of California, Davis, Medical Center in Sacramento, where doctors later said he had died of his injuries. The Sacramento County Coroner's Office has not released his identity.

Woodland Police Department spokesman Sgt. Steve Guthrie said that traffic investigators are unsure what caused the fatal collision but do not believe the driver of the pickup was at fault.

"There's no foul play on the part of the driver," Guthrie said.

A police chase of a car from Davis to Sacramento this morning appears to be the case of a man driving erratically because of a medical condition.

The incident began about 10:30 a.m. when the California Highway Patrol received a call of a driver recklessly traveling east on Interstate 80 just east of Mace Boulevard.

Officers tried to find the car while witnesses continued to update dispatchers. Witnesses said that the driver entered a construction zone his vehicle possibly side-swiped a big rig and also ran over plastic construction cones.

The car continued at different speeds, weaving across lanes and dragging a construction cone. CHP officers picked up the chase on the causeway and attempted to stop the driver.

However, he failed to stop, at times slowing to 30 mph. The driver, who had originally been heading to work in Sacramento before his erratic driving began, took the eastbound Highway 50 ramp to southbound Interstate 5.

There, the car crashed into a concrete wall, but that did not stop the vehicle. The driver continued south on I-5 before exiting at Sutterville Road.

There the car "became disabled," a CHP press release states. The CHP determined that the driver, a 55-year-old man from Vallejo, appeared to be suffering from a medical condition related to diabetes.

He was transported to UC Davis Medical Center for treatment.

A Sacramento Superior Court jury today convicted Marquise Vincent Smith of second-degree murder in the Sept. 4, 2010, shooting death of Danielle Ericka Benefield at an after-hours party at a south area gas station.

Judge David De Alba scheduled the sentencing on Smith, 23, for Sept. 14. Smith faces a probable sentence of at least 40 years-to-life, for the second-degree murder conviction and the additional allegation under the state's "10-20-Life" last that he killed somebody with a firearm.

Benefield and two friends had been having a night on the town that they wrapped up at the Fastrip gas station on Power Inn Road at Florin Road, a popular after-hours hangout. While parked on the street next to the gas station, Smith, according to one witness, began firing at the women's car after saying to them, "Do we have a problem?"

Smith, who had been drinking, had been involved in a chase earlier in the evening. Deputy District Attorney Andrew Smith said the defendant fired into Benefield's car in the mistaken belief that she and another woman had been part of the earlier pursuit.

By Sam Stanton
sstanton@sacbee.com

A memorial service for Harison Long-Randall, the 21-year-old man who died after being cut down last month by a hit and run driver in Carmichael, will be held Saturday a few miles from the site of the crash.

The service will begin at 1 p.m. at Arcade Church, 3927 Marconi Ave.

Long-Randall died July 29, two weeks after he was struck in a crosswalk at Garfield and Engle Road while walking with his girlfriend, 23-year-old Gemily West, and her four dogs.

Cal Fire reports that more than a dozen wildfires continue to burn across the state, dirtying the air and threatening homes.

Cooler weather is forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday. Fire officials say that more mild weather will aid firefighters in their battle to contain the blazes.

A roundup of notable fires burning in Northern California as of this morning:

Firefighters rescued a dog from an Arden Arcade home Sunday evening when a grease fire caused heavy damage to the two-story residence.

When Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District personnel responded to the blaze in the 1800 block of Venus Drive about 5:15 p.m. Sunday smoke was billowing from the eaves of the home.

Firefighters immediately began to extinguish the fire and also search the house. The occupants of the home had already exited the home before firetrucks arrived, but firefighters were called upon to rescue the family dog.

A worker at a Woodland Laundromat apparently interrupted the tossing of an explosive device into the business Sunday afternoon.

Woodland police said that when they arrived about 3 p.m. Sunday to the Wash House, near West and Main streets, officers were told by a maintenance worker that he witnessed a young person open the back door of the business and begin to toss a bottle into the business.

The youth was with other young people, he said. When the worker approached, the group started to flee.

The annual list of top ten stolen cars was released today by an insurance industry crime-tracking bureau.

The Hot Wheels list from the National Insurance Crime Bureau tracks all theft data, without regard to whether the stolen vehicle was insured.

A recent trend being monitored: thefts of late model vehicles that theoretically are harder to steal due to sophisticated key code technology.

NICB president Joe Wehrle said in a press release that thieves have figured out how to
get the key code for a vehicle, have a replacement key made -- and steal the vehicle within a matter of days.

The Sacramento County Coroner's office has identified the bystander killed early yesterday in a shooting at a midtown parking lot as 32-year-old Joseph A. Long of Carmichael.

Long died at 1:06 a.m. Saturday after a violent altercation between two groups in the area of the parking lot at 28th and J streets. Police said a stray round hit the victim.

The area is a popular destination for revelers in the area, which includes Harlow's Restaurant, the Blue Cue billiards parlor, Centro Cocina Mexicana and Red Rabbit Kitchen & Bar.

Officer Michele Gigante of the Sacramento Police Department said the investigation is continuing.

UPDATE: A notebook belonging to missing UC Davis student Linnea Lomax was found just off the American River Bike Trail, her family announced at a press conference this afternoon.

This was the first solid lead since her disappearance June 26, said Craig Lomax, the girl's father.

The notebook was found near the Sutter Medical Center outpatient facility on Howe Avenue where the 19-year-old Placerville woman was last seen. She was receiving treatment after having a mental breakdown while studying for finals, her father said.

The evidence has been turned over to police, but Lomax confirmed it belonged to his daughter. "I saw the handwriting on the notebook," he said. "It was Linnea's."

The notebook was found during a search by 250 volunteers over the weekend.

The KlaasKids Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to finding missing children, joined in the search. The Sausalito-based group was founded by Marc Klaas, whose daughter Polly was kidnapped and murdered in 1993. "You shouldn't have to reinvent the wheel every time," Klaas said.

The foundation's Director of Search Operations Brad Dennis came from Florida to aid in the search. "We're doing a very thorough grid search," Dennis said.

"After seven weeks, we finally got a ground zero," Klaas said of Sunday's breakthrough.

Lomax said that as far as he knows, Linnea is alive. "I hope she's still alive, but I also have to believe every tip, theory and lead," he said.

The search has taken a toll on the family. In addition to Linnea, the Lomax's also have a son and daughter who are still in high school. "We're maintaining the search, but we also have to maintain life," Lomax said. "We still have to be mom and dad."

The number of rumors circulating, coupled with the time the case has dragged on, is challenging the viability of the search, Lomax said. "I'm not going to stop looking for her until I can confirm she's safe," he said at the press conference.

The family plans to organize another search Sept. 8. Anyone who wants to help or has information about the whereabouts of Linnea Lomax is asked to visit helpfindlinnea.org.

- Richard Chang

By Ravali Reddy

rreddy@sacbee.com

The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department responded to two fires in the last 24 hours, both at local preschools.

At 11:13 p.m. Friday, a fire was reported at Phoenix Preschool, 2921 Garfield Ave. According to a Metro Fire press release, a well-involved fire was contained to one residential structure. No one was injured.

At 1:19 a.m. Saturday, a structure fire was reported at a Montessori Preschool at 5619 Marconi Ave. Crews once again contained the blaze to one structure and extinguished it. No injuries resulted.

The preschools are about 2 blocks from one another. Metro Fire did not reveal whether the fires are related. They are both being investigated. According to the press release, preliminary investigations indicate that both fires appear to have been intentionally set.

Metro Fire is asking anyone with information regarding these fires to call the arson tip line at (916) 859-3775.

By Ravali Reddy

rreddy@sacbee.com

A low-level fly over of a vintage military aircraft is scheduled to take place Sunday night at 6:30 p.m. in the Green Valley region of El Dorado County.

The flyover is being organized in conjunction with Graveside Services to honor Marine Staff Sgt. Sky Mote and his family.

Mote, 27, had served in the Marine Corps for nine years. He was one of three special operations Marines killed by an Afghan police officer in Afghanistan on Aug. 10. He is survived by his father, a teacher at Rolling Hills Middle School in El Dorado Hills, and his mother, a teacher at Brooks Elementary School in El Dorado Hills.

By Ravali Reddy
rreddy@sacbee.com

Sacramento police are investigating the shooting death of a man in his 30s early Saturday morning in Midtown.

At 12:35 a.m., police officers received calls that gunshots were heard and that a man had been shot at 28th and J streets. Police located the victim in a parking lot with a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead. His identity has not been released.

According to a Police Department press release, there were reports that the shots were fired between two groups in an altercation. A preliminary investigation shows that the victim had no involvement and was hit by a round that was fired across the parking lot, according to the press release. The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Sacramento police dispatch center at (916) 264-5471 or Crime Alert at (916) 443-4357. Tips can also be texted in to 274637 (CRIMES). Enter SACTIP followed by the tip information. Callers can remain anonymous and may qualify for a reward of up to $1,000.

The cause of a residential fire in which a firefighter suffered minor injuries is under investigation.

Crews from the Sacramento Metropolitan and Consumes Fire districts responded at 3:42 this afternoon to a report of a fire in the 9700 block of Splender Way, east of Bradshaw Road and north of Calvine Road.The arrived to find a two-story home on fire, with thick smoke and flames coming from second-floor windows, according to a Sacramento Metro Fire news release.

No occupants were located.

Bee reporters answer questions about area crime news, trends and other issues.

QUESTION: Whatever happened to the rapper from Vallejo who was picked out of the line at Sac International Airport by TSA agents and found to have ecstasy pills taped to his inner leg?
Submitted by: Elan, Sacramento

ANSWER: Vallejo rapper Steven Noel Davison -- also known as "PSD," "PSD the Drivah" and "Stevie Dee" -- was arrested on federal drug charges July 14, 2008, after he was selected for a security screening as he tried to board a flight to Oklahoma at Sacramento International Airport.

By Denny Walsh

dwalsh@sacbee.com

A grand jury indictment unsealed Friday in Sacramento federal court charges three men with conspiring to rip off more than $18 million from the United Auburn Indian Community, which owns the lucrative Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln.

Bart Wayne Volen, Greg Scott Baker, and Darrell Patrick Hinz are accused of using their strategic positions to unlawfully inflate charges paid by the tribe in 2006 and 2007 for work on a four-building construction project on property owned by the tribe on Indian Hills Road in Auburn.

All three are charged with conspiracy, wire fraud and money laundering.

The grand jury returned the indictment Aug. 9, but it was sealed at the request of the government.

Volen, 53, of San Diego and Haiku, Hawaii, was arrested Friday at the San Francisco International Airport by Internal Revenue Service agents.

Shortly thereafter, the indictment was unsealed.

No-bail arrest warrants were issued for all three defendants the day the indictment was returned. It was not clear late Friday whether Baker, 45, of Newcastle, and Hinz, 47, of Cameron Park, have been arrested.

Sacramento police are alerting residents to a suspicious man who has been reported peeking into apartment windows in the north Sacramento area.

At 10:36 p.m. Sunday, a woman saw a man standing outside her patio window looking into her apartment. She screamed, and the man ran away.

At 11:31 p.m. Tuesday, another woman was startled when she saw a man looking through the blinds of her bedroom window. She screamed and alerted nearby security personnel. The man ran off when confronted by security guard.

Sacramento police are investigating a robbery that occurred late this afternoon at Grebitus & Sons Jewelers at 1003 L St.

Police spokesman Sgt. Andrew Pettit said officers were called to the store at 4:32 p.m. A man reportedly came into the store and asked to see a gold necklace. He then grabbed the necklace from the employee and fled.

Employees chased the man but were unable to catch him.

Pettit said the man was described as Latino, 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall. He was said to be well-dressed, wearing black pants and black shoes.

Law enforcement agencies throughout the Sacramento region have launched a summer campaign to crack down on impaired drivers.

The "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" anti-DUI campaign began today and will continue through the Labor Day weekend. During that period officers in various jurisdictions will conduct sobriety and driver's license checkpoints as well as roving patrols targeting motorists driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The statewide campaign, led by the California Office of Traffic Safety, is intended to heighten public awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and to deter people from driving under the influence.

A wildfire that began Thursday in southern El Dorado County was reported fully contained this afternoon after burning 23.8 acres.

Emergency crews will remain on the scene in the Logtown area and continue to strengthen containment lines and put out hot spots in the burn area throughout the day, according to a news release from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection's Amador-El Dorado Unit. Firefighting crews will check on the area throughout the weekend.

The fire in the area of Sandridge and Balmaceda roads was reported at 3:54 p.m. Thursday, and within minutes a large smoke column was visible from the Placerville area. The El Dorado County Sheriff's Department contacted residents regarding voluntary evacuation of the Balmaceda Road area. The California Highway Patrol closed Sandridge Road between Highway 49 and Tripp Road to allow emergency equipment to get into the area. The road was reopened about four hours later.

By Ravali Reddy
rravali@sacbee.com

The California Department of Fish and Game continues to seek information about the shooting of a bear that was found dead on a beach in Homewood late last month.

The investigation has revealed that Sunny, a black bear, was shot at close range. The type of wound the bear suffered is believed to have caused a significant loss of blood, which was found at the site where she was killed.

The investigating warden was not able to locate blood or evidence of a discharged firearm at any of the properties surrounding the area where the bear was found. Fish and Game is following leads, including tips from the Tahoe community, and will submit a final report to the Placer County District Attorney once the investigation is finished.

The Humane Society of the United States and The Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust have added a reward of up to $2,500 to a previously posted reward of $3,000 for information leading to the arrest of individuals responsible for the killing.

Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact CalTIP at (888) 334-2258. Callers may remain anonymous.

PHOTO CAPTION: The state Department of Fish and Game continues to investigate the shooting death of a black bear, known locally as Sunny, which was found on a Lake Tahoe beach near Homewood.

Thousands of marijuana plants have been hauled out of Secret Ravine in Placer County.

A total of 16,721 plants were cut and airlifted out of the remote location northeast of Colfax on Wednesday by Placer County Sheriff's detectives.

The pot plot on private property and was spotted by helicopter surveillance. Before eradication of the plants, experts went in to make sure there were no booby traps.

A man fled when deputies arrived at the site, and a handgun was recovered at the garden.

A Sheriff's Department press release noted that marijuana grows are becoming prevalent in the county. If hikers in remote canyons stumble upon marijuana plants they are urged to leave immediately and contact law enforcement.

A Placerville man has been arrested in the cold case killing and rape of a 17-year-old Santa Cruz County girl, according to the San Mateo County Times.

Detectives took John William Kelley, 49, was arrested Wednesday in connection with the death of Annette Thur in 1986. Her body was found down an embankment south of Redwood City.

DNA evidence tied Kelley to the killing, police said.

Read the complete San Mateo County Times story here.

The Sacramento Sheriff's Office reported today that a missing 69-year-old Carmichael man has been found two states away.

Hugh Myers, 69, who has mild dementia and was considered at-risk, had last been seen Wednesday afternoon driving away from his home in the 3700 block of Kimberly Way.

He has since been found safe in Vancouver, Wash., and is being re-united with family.

A man was booked into Sacramento County Jail after officers said he damaged equipment in a police car.

Sacramento police said Robert Strasser, 28, appeared to be flagging down passing cars in at 37th and Y streets about 4 p.m. Thursday. The area in Oak Park is known to have been the site of drug sales in the past, police said.

When officers approached Strasser, he began to walk away. Eventually, he was stopped and officers determined he was a parolee in possession of drug paraphernalia.

It was during a ride to jail that Strasser allegedly ripped out a camera cable in the back of the police car. He was booked into jail on suspicion of vandalism and violation of parole.

PHOTO CAPTION: Robert Strasser

Bee reporters answer questions about area crime news, trends and other issues.

QUESTION: Wondering what happened to the guy who struck and killed the mother of I believe six children in Orangevale/Fair Oaks. She was pulling out of the apartment driveway on Madison when he hit her in his truck.
Submitted by: Dawn, Orangevale

ANSWER: Christopher Sandbach was arrested following the Feb. 16, 2009, crash that claimed the life of 38-year-old Angelique Mayo.

A 60-year-old man is headed to prison after a Sacramento County jury convicted him of seven counts of child molestation.

Edward Bridgeman was sentenced today by Sacramento Superior Court Judge Allen Sumner to a determinate 30 years in prison and an indeterminate 225 years to life in prison, according to a Sacramento County District Attorney's Office news release.

Authorities said Bridgeman molested a young boy over a three-month period in 2008. He had been previously convicted on two counts of lewd and lascivious conduct with a young female relative.

By Richard Chang
rchang@sacbee.com

The Sacramento Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help in locating a 69-year-old Carmichael man who went missing Wednesday afternoon.

Hugh Myers, who has mild dementia and is considered at-risk, is described as being 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 190 pounds with balding and gray hair. He was last seen driving away from his home in the 3700 block of Kimberly Way in a gray 2000 Toyota Tundra pickup truck, with California license plate 8A38153.

Anyone with information about Myers' whereabouts should contact the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office at (916) 874-7539.

A routine traffic stop of a driver in Placer County turned up 175 pounds of marijuana Tuesday night, sheriff's deputies said.

Thomas Franklin Williams, 51, of Calistoga was driving through Loomis about 10 p.m. when he was stopped on Interstate 80 near Horseshoe Bar Road for a vehicle code violation.

Williams was also found to be driving on a suspended license, according to a Placer County Sheriff's department press release.

A search of his truck by a police dog revealed that under the camper shell in the bed of the vehicle was seven large cardboard boxes filled with marijuana, according to authorities. Deputies said the marijuana was "processed and packaged."

Inside the cab of the truck was found a .44-caliber handgun with a 10-inch barrel.

Williams was arrested on suspicion of transportation, sales and possession of marijuana, carrying a loaded firearm with intent to commit a felony and carrying a loaded and concealed firearm in a vehicle.

His bail was set at $60,000.

PHOTO CAPTION: Thomas Franklin Williams

A federal grand jury today indicted a Sacramento man on child pornography charges.

The three-count indictment charges Eric G. Lowe, 34, with attempted production of child pornography and attempted enticement of a minor.

The indictment alleges that between April 25 and June 11, Lowe attempted to persuade a minor to engage in sexual activity and attempted to "produce images of child pornography."

The case was investigated by the Sacramento Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, a press release from the U.S. Attorney's office in Sacramento states.

A vacant home in Arden Arcade was destroyed this morning by a fire that is considered suspicious.

Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District crews arrived at the residence at 4149 Whitney Avenue about 3:30 a.m. to find a garage burning, fire inside the home and flames shooting through the roof.

Firefighters searched the inside but found no occupants. Crews extinguished the attic fire from the interior of the home and doused the garage flames, a fire district press release states.

The home was considered a total loss.

The Sacramento County Coroner's Office has identified the man fatally shot after a bank robbery in Folsom on Tuesday as 32-year-old Joseph Carmelo Riso.

The coroner's office lists his city of residence as La Quinta, in Riverside County.

Riso was fatally shot by a Sacramento County sheriff's deputy assisting Folsom police in a foot pursuit following a bank robbery on E. Bidwell Street. According to police, witnesses said they thought the suspect was armed with a rifle.

Officers pursued Riso on foot for about 20 minutes until he ran through a home on School Street, where four children and their parents could be heard screaming, according to police. Fearing for the safety of the family hiding in a back bedroom, police said, the deputy fatally shot Riso inside the home.

Riso was found to be unarmed, police said.

More organized searches begin today for missing college student Linnea Lomax.

People who want to participate in the searches on today, Saturday and Sunday should check in at the Find Linnea search center, 2440 Glendale Lane. Check in times are between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. or 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., all three days.

Lomax disappeared after walking away from an out-patient mental health facility, where she had been receiving treatment after she had what her family has described as a breakdown while studying for finals at the University of California, Davis.

Lomax, 19, was last seen June 26 around 1 p.m. on the 800 block of Howe Avenue in Sacramento County. She is described as a white woman, 5 feet 2 inches tall, and 100 pounds. She was last seen wearing faded green pants and a dark hooded sweatshirt with the word "Sweden" on the front.

The height of the fire season finds 9,000 federal, state and local firefighters on the frontlines of a dozen large wildfires burning in the state.

Details of notable fires as of this morning:

 Wye fire, Lake and Colusa counties, 8,000 acres, 80 percent contained.

 Salmon fire, El Dorado County, Salmon Falls Road, 108 acres, fully contained.

 Mill fire, Butte County, 1,025 acres, 15 percent contained.

 Ramsey fire, Calaveras County, 1,150 acres, 30 percent contained.

 Rush Fire, Lassen County, 140,949 acres, 25 percent contained.

Firefighters are making good progress despite hot, dry conditions, according to Cal Fire. Cal Fire on Wednesday suspended all burning permits within the State Responsibility Area of California.

Campfires within organized campgrounds are allowed if they are a designated campfire site.

A special enforcement operation in Citrus Heights resulted in the arrest of three wanted suspects and the discovery of seven probation violations.

Investigators from eight agencies on Wednesday conducted the special ops enforcement. They searched 42 locations from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for wanted individuals and those on probation or parole.

Citrus Heights police said one of those being sought ran from them. Marcus Campbell, 29, wanted for a parole violation, was encountered by officers near Bremen Drive and Van Maren Lane.

Bee reporters answer questions about area crime news, trends and other issues.

QUESTION: What ever happened to the man arrested for the hit-and-run death of my friend Yuriy Kokhanyy on Greenback Lane near Garfield Avenue a couple of years ago? As I recall, he left Yuriy to die in the street, proceeded home where his mother attempted to help him conceal his brutal crime. I believe his mother's name was Donna Fraser. Wasn't she arrested as well for conspiracy? What was her punishment?
Submitted by: Marie, Carmichael

ANSWER: Glen Henderson and his mother, Donna Fraser, of Carmichael were arrested in connection with the hit-and-run death of 42-year-old Yuriy Kokhanyy in December 2010.

Sacramento police said it has been determined that a 57-year-old man whose body was found Tuesday in a midtown apartment died of natural causes.

Officers responded to the 2400 block of P Street at 4:31 p.m. regarding a report of a suspicious death. They found the body of a man who appeared to have been dead for three or four days and showed possible signs of trauma.

The man's name was not released.

An 85-year-old Citrus Heights woman died Tuesday afternoon when the car she was driving struck a tree.

Citrus Heights Police Sgt. Eric Mattke said a neighbor reported that the vehicle driven by Irene Thomas sideswiped a car in the 7600 block of Gingerblossom Drive before striking the tree. Thomas was transported to a local hospital, where she died. No one else was injured.

Mattke said it appears the crash occurred when the driver experienced a medical emergency. The cause is under investigation.

A man who apparently hanged himself from the H Street Bridge in Sacramento on Tuesday has been identified by the Sacramento County Coroner's Office as 22-year-old Wesley Michael Guidera of El Dorado Hills.

A Sacramento police spokesman said Tuesday that a witness saw Guidera put a rope or other type of ligature around his neck about 10 a.m. He then jumped off the bridge over the American River near California State University, Sacramento.

Fire crews are close to corralling a wildland fire in the Pilot Hill area of El Dorado County that prompted voluntary evacuations for some residents of the rural area.

What has been dubbed the Salmon fire has burned 108 acres and was reported 90 percent contained this evening with full containment expected by midnight.

The fire was reported at 2:23 p.m. in the area of Salmon Falls and Gallagher roads, said Teri Mizuhara, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection's Amador-El Dorado Unit. She said some structures were threatened.

Sgt. Phil Chovanec of the El Dorado County Sheriff's Department said a voluntary evacuation was in effect this afternoon for residents of Equestrian Way and Hound Hollow Road.

Mizuhara said the fire was burning in an area of oak woodlands.

Along with Cal Fire, crews from the El Dorado Hills Fire Department, El Dorado County Fire District and the U.S. Forest Service are on scene with engines and water tenders. Aircraft also are being used to fight the fire, Mizuhara said.

A 37-year-old man from Georgia was killed early this morning when hit by a car as he tried to cross the Capital City freeway.

The pedestrian, whose name was not immediately available, was crossing the eastbound lanes of the freeway about 12:15 a.m. when the car hit him just south of El Camino Avenue.

After being struck by the car, the man was run over by four additional vehicles, according to the California Highway Patrol. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The officer who fatally shot a fleeing bank robbery suspect in Folsom on Tuesday night was a deputy with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department, authorities confirmed today.

The deputy got involved in the 20-minute, mile-long foot pursuit following the robbery because he was near the area and heard requests for assistance from Folsom police, said Sgt. Jason Browning, spokesman for the Folsom Police Department.

A Sacramento police officer also joined in the pursuit before injuring his leg and heading to the hospital, Browning said.

A shooting at a quinceañera celebration that turned violent is being investigated as gang-related, Roseville police said.

The Sunday shooting at the Placer County Fairgrounds occurred just after midnight. A crowd, estimated at about 250 partygoers, was leaving the quinceañera when a man drove through a parking lot, firing several shots.

A 17-year-old boy and a 19-year-old woman were shot. The two both suffered arm wounds.

A quinceañera, a Hispanic tradition, is a coming-of-age party for a girl on her 15th birthday.

A Roseville police activity log notes that since the fairgrounds are on county property, the Placer County Sheriff's Department is handling the investigation. Police say that deputies believe the shootings were likely gang-related.

The name of the young man who hanged himself behind a charter school in Orangevale has been released.

The Sacramento County Coroner's office identified him as Jason Roy Barbosa, 29, of Orangevale.

A custodian called authorities about 7:45 a.m. Tuesday after Barbosa's body was spotted hanging near a play structure at Pacific Technology School, a charter school at 6550 Filbert Ave.

A spokesman for the Sacramento County Sheriff's department confirmed the death as a suicide.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and drunk driving after fleeing from officers and killing a pedestrian last night, according to Roseville police.

Oleg Tarasuk, 50, of Roseville was booked into Placer County Jail on suspicion of driving under the influence causing death and also gross vehicular manslaughter. His bail is set at $275,000.

Police said Tarasuk was reported by a citizen to have been driving in a reckless manner about 8 p.m. Tuesday near Junction Boulevard and Washington Boulevard. The caller also told dispatch that Tarasuk's pickup truck had come to a stop at a recycling area across from the Placer County fairgrounds.

When officers responded to the recycling area, they spoke to Tarasuk, only to have him gun his engine to drive away.

In response, an officer tried to block Tarasuk's getaway with his patrol car, prompting Tarsuk to push the patrol car out of the way with his pickup The suspect then drove from the scene southbound on Washington Boulevard.

Officers followed and eventually came upon the Tarasuk in a pile-up at the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Main Street. Police said he had collided with three other vehicles and hit a pedestrian.

The pedestrian, who has not been identified, died at the scene. One of the drivers of the cars Tarasuk's pickup hit was transported to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

PHOTO CAPTION: Oleg Tarasuk

Bee reporters answer questions about area crime news, trends and other issues.

QUESTION: Whatever happened with the case against Elton John Cross, accused of shooting his girlfriend more than 10 years ago?
Submitted by: Adriha, Sacramento

ANSWER: In October 2002, Elton John Cross walked into the Sacramento County Jail and admitted shooting his girlfriend, according to a story in The Bee.

Sacramento police are investigating the death of a 57-year-old man who was found dead in his apartment this afternoon.

Police responded to the 2400 block of P Street at 4:31 p.m. regarding the report of a suspicious death. The found the man's body, which had possible signs of trauma, according to a Police Department news release. Officials said the man was believed to have been dead for three or four days.

The man's name has not been released.

Anyone with information about the death is asked to call Crime Alert at (916) 443-4357, or text a tip to 274637. Enter SACTIP followed by the tip information. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

A Galt resident operating a private investigation company was arrested in Woodland this afternoon, accused of impersonating a peace officer.

Anthony Vegas, 52, was taken into custody about 2:15 p.m. in front of the Yolo County Sheriff's Monroe Detention Center.

On several occasions in the last week, Vegas allegedly presented himself as an active state of California parole agent in attempts to obtain information for a child custody case he was privately investigating, according to a Woodland Police Department news release.

A Folsom bank robbery suspect was shot and killed late this afternoon after leading law enforcement officers on a foot chase through a residential neighborhood.

Folsom Police Sgt. Jason Browning said the robbery was reported at 5:11 p.m. at the Wells Fargo bank at 1113 E. Bidwell St., near Blue Ravine Road.

The suspect fled, leading officers on a chase over business rooftops and through back yards. In the 1300 block of School Street, the man entered a house through the rear of the residence, where a family with small children was at home, then ran out the front door. When confronted by officers, the man ran back into the house, Browning said.

Folsom police report that they are investigating a bank robbery that occurred shortly after 5 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Bank, 1113 East Bidwell St.

The suspect was apprehended after an officer-involved shooting.

Return to www.sacbee.com for more details.

The Sacramento Police Department seeks the public's help in identifying a suspect in a string of armed robberies that have occurred over the past two weeks.

The first robbery was reported at 12:33 a.m. July 31, when a man robbed a cab driver at gunpoint near the 1200 block of O Street, according to a Police Department news release.

A similar suspect reportedly robbed a neighborhood market in the 1800 block of T Street at 9:03 a.m. Aug. 7.

A man apparently hanged himself from the H Street Bridge this morning.

A Sacramento police spokesman said that a witness saw the man put a rope or other type of ligature around his neck about 10 a.m. The man then jumped off the bridge over the American River near Sacramento State.

The dead man appeared to be in his mid-20s, police said.

A young man was found hanging from a tree at a charter school in Orangevale this morning.

A spokesman for the Sacramento County Sheriff's department said the death was a suicide.

A custodian called authorities about 7:45 a.m. today after the body of a man, who appeared to be in his 20s, was spotted hanging from a tree near a play structure at Pacific Technology School, a charter school at 6550 Filbert Ave.

Personnel from Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District got the body down, but it was too late.

A 3-year-old died in east Sacramento on Monday when she became entangled in a window blind cord.

The little girl was identified by the Sacramento County Coroner's office as Voxie O'Hara Hendrix Beckett.

The child's parents placed the little girl and a two-year-old sibling down for an afternoon nap, according to a police activity log. When they came to check on them, the 3-year-old was found with the cord around her neck, said a fire official.

The Sacramento Fire Department responded and started cardio pulmonary resuscitation on the scene, said Assistant Chief Niko King. The child was transported to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission provides these window-covering safety tips:

Move all cribs, beds, furniture and toys away from window cords.

 Keep all window cords out of the reach of children.

 Repair window coverings, corded shades and draperies manufactured before 2001 with retrofit cord-repair devices -- or replace them with modern, less dangerous products.

 Consider installing cordless window coverings in bedrooms and play areas.

The Sacramento County Coroner's office has released the name of a man who was killed when struck by a truck Sunday evening along eastbound Interstate 80 near Auburn Boulevard.

James Fenton Freeland, 64, of Sacramento, was on the shoulder of the freeway with his truck, just east of the Auburn Boulevard exit, when another truck hit him, California Highway Patrol officers said.

The truck that hit the man had an unwieldy trailer hitched to the back, according to CHP spokeswoman Lizz Dutton. She said the truck stopped after hitting Freeland.

Bee reporters answer questions about area crime news, trends and other issues.

QUESTION: What happened to the people who were involved in the shooting death of Deantwan Thomas in 2005 in the Meadowview area?
Submitted by: Jessica M., Sacramento

ANSWER: Deantwon Torreal Thomas, a 17-year-old Burbank High School student, was shot and killed March 11, 2005 as he and a friend were walking home.

A motorcyclist who died in a crash Sunday morning near Foresthill in Placer County has been identified as a 42-year-old Sacramento man.

The solo crash occurred about 9:30 a.m. on Mosquito Ridge Road about three miles east of Ralston Ridge Road. The California Highway Patrol states that Michael C. Cook was speeding on his gray 2007 Suzuki GSX-R motorcycle north on Mosquito Ridge Road when he lost control of the vehicle. The motorcycle skidded off the roadway and traveled down an embankment.

Authorities said Foresthill Fire Department emergency personnel located Cook down the embankment. He died at the scene.

The veteran Sacramento County sheriff's deputy arrested Sunday on suspicion of driving under the influence is a 17-year veteran of the department, authorities said.

Sheriff's spokesman Deputy Jason Ramos said that 41-year-old Chuck Lawrence Pfau will be put on paid administrative leave as a result of the arrest.

A California Highway Patrol officer arrested Pfau, of Folsom, on Sunday afternoon after he was involved in a collision with another vehicle, said Officer Jasper Begay, a CHP spokesman.

It's not the first time Nicolas Briggs has pulled his disappearing act.

"He's a little Houdini," his mother Christina Adkins said of her tall, skinny three-year-old.

He's known for walking away without notice from family garage sales and wandering off at other times.

A man has been arrested on several sex charges after allegedly sneaking into homes to prey on children in the Carmichael area, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department.

Matthew Steven Jones, 18, was booked into Sacramento County Jail on suspicion of burglary, kidnapping and three sex charges, including committing a lewd or lascivious act with a child under the age of 14.

The sheriff's department released security photos about 1:45 p.m. Sunday of a man they said had been entering homes in the middle of the night and approaching children. He would then flee from the homes.

By Richard Chang
rchang@sacbee.com

A man was struck and killed by a truck Sunday evening, snarling traffic eastbound on Interstate 80, the California Highway Patrol said.

The 64-year-old Sacramentan was on the shoulder with his truck, just east of the Auburn Boulevard exit, when another truck hit him, the CHP said.

The truck that hit the man had an unwieldy trailer hitched to the back, according to CHP spokeswoman Lizz Dutton. She said the truck stopped 500 feet later, after hitting the man.

CHP has closed three of the seven lanes and is still working to clear the scene.

Sacramento police are investigating as a possible hate crime an assault of a passenger on a Regional Transit light rail train on Friday night.

Police spokeswoman Officer Michele Gigante said today that the victim sought treatment at a local hospital and Saturday and police were then notified of the assault.

The man told police that had been harassed aboard the light rail train by four men who apparently believed him to be gay.

A Sacramento man shot to death early Saturday morning in old North Sacramento has been identified as 26-year-old Luis Alfredo Vasquez.

Sacramento County Coroner's officials reported today that Vasquez died shortly after 4 a.m. Saturday after police found him with a gunshot wound to his upper body.

Sacramento Police arrived at 3:15 a.m. Saturday at the 2500 block of Traction Avenue in the North Sacramento area after receiving multiple phone calls reporting gunshots in the area. Vasquez was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A house across from Winn Park in midtown Sacramento was heavily damaged in a fire late Friday.

The fire at 1617 28th St. was reported about 11:15 p.m. No one was in the house at the time, and there were no injuries, said Battalion Chief Craig Wiedenhoeft of the Sacramento City Fire Department.

Firefighters first approached the house from the rear, since they had been told that a shed in the alley behind the house was in flames, Wiedenhoeft said.

By Ravali Reddy
rreddy@sacbee.com

The Rocklin Police Department is currently investigating three incidents from Friday and Saturday in which shots were fired.

At approximately 2:00 a.m. on Friday, police responded to calls reporting the sound of shots being fired near Sunset Blvd. and Fairway Drive. Within minutes, officers received another call alerting them to a vehicle that had been shot by a passing car at Stanford Ranch Road and Park Drive.

The vehicle that was shot had a single bullet hole near the driver's side door. Neither the passenger nor the driver were injured in the shooting. The victims were able to describe the suspect vehicle as a dark colored Ford Crown Victoria, or similar type vehicle.

By Ravali Reddy

rreddy@sacbee.com

Redding police officers are asking for the public's help in locating Rob Zane Hansen, 56, of Redding, who has been missing since Thursday night.

Hansen was last seen leaving a family member's house at 10:00 p.m. on Thursday. Relatives went to check in on him Friday afternoon at his residence, but did not find Hansen. His car and personal property have all been accounted for.

Authorities were alerted Friday at 6:47 p.m. and have been unable to locate Hansen, despite having contacted local hospitals as well as family and friends.

Hansen has no known mental health issues and is not a known drug user. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Redding Police Department at (530) 225-4200.

PHOTO CAPTION: Rob Zane Hansen

By Ravali Reddy

rreddy@sacbee.com

The Sacramento Police Department is investigating the shooting death of a 26-year-old male early Saturday morning in old North Sacramento.

At approximately 3:15 a.m., police officers arrived at the 2500 block of Traction Avenue in Old North Sacramento after receiving multiple phone calls that reported the sound of gunshots and that someone had been shot. Upon arrival, police found the victim with a gunshot wound to his upper body. He was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Investigation is ongoing regarding the circumstances leading to the shooting, and the motive for the incident has not yet been determined.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Sacramento Police dispatch center at (916) 264-5471 orCrime Alert at (916) 443-4357. Tips can also be texted in to 274637 (CRIMES). Enter SACTIP followed by the tip information. Callers can remain anonymous and may qualify for a reward of up to $1,000.

Bee reporters answer questions about area crime news, trends and other issues.

QUESTION: How is the trial going for the suspects of the Michael Sanderson shooting at an apartment complex in Carmichael? Has it started? What are the charges for the five suspects?
Submitted by: Kandace, Carmichael

ANSWER: The five defendants in the case remain in Sacramento County Jail. According to Sacramento Superior Court online records, all are scheduled for a preliminary hearing Aug. 17.

Two people are in custody this evening after their attempts to sell a large number of compact discs to a Sacramento music store led to the discovery of numerous burglaries at a local storage facility.

Sacramento police spokesman Sgt. Andrew Pettit said officers were called to The Beat music store on J Street regarding a man and woman trying to sell CDs that a store employee suspected were stolen. Pettit said some of the CDs were labeled with the owner's name, which the employee recognized. The employee called the owner, who discovered that the storage unit where he kept the CDs had been burglarized.

Officers arrived at the music store and detained the man, identified as 49-year-old Terry Ramano. The woman fled but was later apprehended at a nearby motel. She was identified as Ema Major, 42.

Sacramento police have arrested a Yuba City man in connection with the kidnapping and sexual assault of a woman in January.

Sacramento detectives with the assistance of the Yuba City SWAT team arrested 32-year-old Sarbjit Singh Sandhu (pictured) on Thursday at his home in Yuba City. He is accused of forcible rape and kidnapping with intent to commit sexual assault.

About 8:30 p.m. Jan. 24, a woman in her 20s was kidnapped at gunpoint after she arrived home from work in the north Sacramento area, according to a Police Department news release. She was blindfolded and her hands were bound. She was then driven to an unknown location about 40 minutes from Sacramento where she was sexually assaulted by two individuals, police said.

A man who pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter in the shooting deaths of two people in Foothill Farms four years ago was sentenced today to 17 years in state prison.

Sacramento Superior Court Judge Steve White imposed the term on Thomas Michael Meece, 39, for the Feb. 5, 2008, shotgun killings of Albert L. Parson, 43, and Amber L. Halvorson, 40.

Meece entered his plea last month after a jury in 2009 could not reach a verdict on murder charges. He had been prosecuted on an aiding and abetting theory. The accused gunman, Allan Winton Eisman, 31, hung himself in jail two months after the killings.

A Sacramento jury convicted Michael Joseph Peterson of first-degree murder today for the 1992 stabbing death of John Arana.

Superior Court Judge Maryanne G. Gilliard scheduled the sentencing on Peterson, 47, for Sept. 21.

Peterson was extradited from Missouri in early 2010 and charged with the murder based on a DNA cold hit. Arana, 40, had been stabbed and killed in the bedroom of his 10th Avenue home.

A Sacramento Superior Court jury today convicted Lan Anh Le of first-degree murder for the March 13, 2010, stabbing death of Monica Anne Anderson.

Judge Ernest W. Sawtelle scheduled Le's sentencing for Oct. 5.

Le, now 22, stabbed Anderson, 26, in what authorities described as a jealous rage. An autopsy disclosed that Anderson sustained 91 stab wounds in the attack.

Two teenagers are being sought following a report of an armed robbery at an Elk Grove residence this afternoon.

Elk Grove police spokesman Officer Christopher Trim said officers responded at 3:09 p.m. to a report of a burglary at a home in the 10000 block of Lambeau Court. When they arrived, they learned that the intruders had been armed with what were described as handguns.

Three people were in the house when they heard a knock on the door. One occupant looked out a peephole and saw two males, 16 to 18 years old. When the residents did not answer the door, the two armed teenagers pushed their way into the home and ordered the three people inside to lie on the floor.

A man was arrested Thursday when Sacramento police said they found his elderly wife reeking of urine and living in a filthy home.

Clarence Blevens, 56, was arrested on elder after police went to his house in the 3400 block of Willow Street.

At the Hagginwood neighborhood home, police said that they found people living in the backyard. And inside the house, police said, they found Blevens' 85-year-old wife living in inhumane conditions.

The house was dirty and there was not sufficient food in the residence, police said. Police said the woman was not properly dressed and smelled of urine. She also had medical issues that her husband had been neglecting.

She was transported to the hospital for treatment.

By Bill Lindelof

blindelof@sacbee.com

Sacramento city firefighters today are mopping up fire that erupted at a long-closed auto dealership at Florin Road and Franklin Boulevard.

Around 9:30 p.m., firefighters responded to a two-alarm fire at the former auto lot that last housed Paul Blanco Chevrolet, 3815 Florin Road.

In May 2008, the Blanco dealership closed, part of a consolidation buyout offer from Chevrolet. Cause of the fire has not been determined.

PHOTO CAPTION: The abandoned Paul Blanco Chevrolet dealership. Bill Lindelof/Sacramento Bee

Woodland police say that a suspected shoplifter was arrested after store security tried to stop his vehicle in a grocery parking lot.

Police said the suspected thief took an item from the Nugget Market, 157 Main St., about 4 p.m. Wednesday. When he began to flee in his vehicle, police said, loss prevention employees reached into and held onto his vehicle in an attempt to stop him and retain the merchandise.

The thief fled as the store employees moved away from the vehicle.

At about 7:30 p.m., Woodland police spotted the getaway vehicle on East Beamer Street west of County Road 102. Officers stopped the vehicle and took Corey Olsen, 35, of Woodland into custody.

He was booked on suspicion of robbery.