Sacto 9-1-1

A Citrus Heights couple has been sentenced to prison in a case of credit card fraud and mail theft involving more than 300 victims in Sacramento County.

Matthew Ray Ausborn, 33, and Christina Leanne Barrios, 29, were charged with ID theft, credit card fraud and three counts of possession of stolen U.S. mail, according to a federal Department of Justice news release. Ausborn was sentenced to three years and one month in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and Barrios was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. A restitution hearing is scheduled for June 4 before U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez.

According to court documents, on July 2, 2011, Sacramento County sheriff's deputies found Ausborn and Barrios asleep inside an idling car on a residential street in Carmichael. The deputies arrested Barrios on an outstanding warrant, and Ausborn consented to a search of his vehicle. The search turned up a small amount of methamphetamine and approximately 400 pieces of stolen mail involving more than 250 Sacramento County victims. Also found were multiple identification documents for other people, checks, financial documents, handwritten notes containing personal identifying information, a laptop computer, printer and blank-check paper.

A member of the Skinhead criminal street gang today was convicted by a Sacramento County jury of manufacturing and transporting methamphetamine, and possessing methamphetamine for sale.

The jury also determined that 38-year-old Charles Gilbert Demar III committed the crimes for the benefit or in association with the Sacramento Skinheads street gang and that he had four prior convictions, according to a Sacramento County District Attorney's Office news release.

Demar was under surveillance by undercover Citrus Heights police officers in March 2011, following the shooting death of white supremacist David Austin Lynch at Lynch's Citrus Heights home. Demar was described by police at the time as a close friend of Lynch and a "person of interest," although he was not identified as a suspect in the Lynch homicide.

Citrus Heights police re-opened Greenback Lane after a suspicious package turned out only to be a briefcase with nothing explosive inside.

Police responded to the report of a suspicious package at about 10:15 a.m. today in a parking lot at 6124 San Juan Avenue, near Greenback Lane.

The Sacramento County Sheriff's department's bomb disposal unit was requested by Citrus Heights police to go to the scene.

Greenback Lane was closed in both directions between San Juan Avenue and Mariposa Avenue until about 1:30 p.m..

A Citrus Heights man previously convicted of sex offenses was arraigned today in federal court in Sacramento on charges of receiving child pornography and failing to register as a sex offender.

Travis Marshall Grey, 29, entered a not guilty plea in proceedings before Magistrate Judge Dale A. Drozd, according to federal court online records.

Between Jan. 25 and Jan. 29, Grey allegedly received images of child pornography through the Internet. In addition, in December 2012 and January 2013, while living in Citrus Heights, Grey failed to register as a sex offender, according to a federal Department of Justice news release.

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

QUESTION: What is the status of the case against Tresa Bales-Sterba of Orangevale, who is accused of hitting two brothers in a crosswalk with her car last October in Citrus Heights?
Submitted by: Tim, Folsom

ANSWER: Tresa Bales-Sterba is free on bail as her case makes its way through the court process.

Sunrise Mall was evacuated Saturday afternoon, and the bomb squad was called in, after a suitcase was found sitting unattended in one of the walkways, Citrus Heights police said.

The suitcase turned out to be empty, and a 15-year-old girl was eventually taken into custody by police for intentionally causing the scare, according to police.

Sunrise Mall security officers saw the suitcase placed in the middle of a walkway in front of two stores at about 2:25 p.m. Mall security immediately notified Citrus Heights Police Department and evacuated the shopping center on Sunrise Boulevard.

The Sacramento County sheriff's department Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit investigated whether there was explosive material in the luggage and found the suitcase empty.

The teenager eventually came forward and claimed ownership of the suitcase, Citrus Heights police reports said. Officers said the girl placed the suitcase in the walkway with intent to cause fear and took her into custody.

Citrus Heights police seek to identify a suspect in the burglary of a commercial complex that occurred early this morning.

Between midnight and 8 a.m., someone forced entry to a business complex through the roof, then broke through the walls of adjoining businesses to enter a convenience store in the 12400 block of Fair Oaks Boulevard.

Preliminary investigation determined that money had been taken from the business, according to a Police Department news release. No employees were at the affected businesses when the break-ins occurred.

Sacramento County sheriff's detectives have arrested a 50-year-old man on suspicion of distributing child pornography.

Danny R. Smith (pictured) was booked into Sacramento County Jail this afternoon and is being held on $50,000 bail.

The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received information that Smith was trading files of child pornography via the Internet, according to a Sheriff's Department news release. A federal search warrant was served at Smith's residence in the 2000 block of Bluebird Lane in the Arden Arcade area. Detectives discovered, however, that Smith had recently moved and tracked him to Citrus Heights, where he was taken into custody.

Two families were displaced after a cooking fire at a Citrus Heights apartment complex.

Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District crews responded to the 5800 block of Sunrise Vista Drive just before noon today and arrived to find a fire in an upstairs unit. The fire was largely contained to the kitchen area, with some extension into the attic, according to a fire district news release.

The second-floor unit where the fire started sustained the majority of the damage. The exterior of the unit suffered minor fire damage, and the unit below sustained water damage.

Police activity around Sunrise Mall on Saturday night involved a chase of suspected auto burglars.

Citrus Heights police said that a citizen noticed two people breaking into cars in the mall parking lot about 8:30 p.m. Saturday. Officers saw a car driven by Anthony Shane Junkin, 25, leave the scene and head eastbound on Greenback Lane.

Police said Junkin sideswiped a car at Greenback Lane and Illinois Avenue in Orangevale. Junkin and a passenger, Marcus Culbertson, 28, abandoned their vehicle and fled on foot.

A perimeter was set up and one of the men was found in a nearby backyard, the other walking away from the scene. Both men were booked into jail.

Junkin was arrested on suspicion of evading an officer, drug possession, hit and run, violation of probation and resisting an officer. Police said Culbertson was arrested on suspicion of evading an officer.

By Allen Piereoni
apierleoni@sacbee.com

The Citrus Heights Police Department is warning residents to beware of a police impersonator.

About 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Citrus Heights police responded to a theft in the 7500 block of Auburn Boulevard when a man wearing a police-style uniform stole clothes from a local business.

Police describe him as black, 25 to 30 years old, 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing about 155 pounds.

He has visible tattoos on his arms. He was wearing a black baseball cap with an unknown emblem, a black vest with a "Sheriff" patch on it, black cargo pants, a police utility belt with a silver star badge attached and black boots. He was driving a gold or tan Ford sport-utility vehicle last seen southbound on Auburn Boulevard.

Citrus Heights police remind motorists to drive to a well-lit public place and call 911 if they suspect they are dealing with someone who is impersonating a police officer.

Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call the Citrus Heights Police Department at (916) 727-5500.

An immigration consultant characterized by authorities as the mastermind of a marriage fraud scheme pleaded guilty today in federal court in Sacramento.

Sergey Potepalov, 57, of Citrus Heights admitted to his role in a scheme that involved sham marriages, according to a federal Department of Justice news release. He is to be sentenced Aug. 15 by U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr.

Potepalov, a naturalized U.S. citizen of Russian descent, was the leader of a scheme with 13 other defendants who were charged in July 2011 with conspiring to commit marriage fraud, to defraud the United States, to make false statements and to induce foreign nationals to enter and remain in the United States, according to court records.

Citrus Heights police are touting a sharp decline in traffic fatalities and other on-the-road accidents in the past six years thanks to lower speed limits and more robust enforcement.

Police said in 2006, the city began reducing posted speeds on major thoroughfares. At the same time, the police department began to closely watch out for speeders violating the new lower speed limits.

Fatalities went from a high of 14 in 2006 to an average of 3 over the past four years, according to a police press release. In addition, the number of accidents city-wide has been reduced from 1,203 in 2006 to 670 in 2012.

A federal judge has sentenced a bookkeeper from Citrus Heights to nearly six years in prison for fraud and tax evasion.

U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell sentenced Kathe Rascher, 53, on Friday to 57 months in prison for one count of mail fraud and one count of tax evasion. She was ordered to pay $1.5 milllion in restitution.

A press release from the U.S. Attorney's office in Sacramento said court documents indicate that Rascher embezzled $1.7 million while she was a bookkeeper at River Valley Insurance Inc. Rascher wrote checks to herself and family members from the River Valley bank account.

To cover her tracks she changed the names of the payees on the unauthorized checks in the accounting records, altered carbon copies of checks and created fake invoices, according to the press release.

Rascher also failed to disclose embezzled income on tax returns, according to prosecutors.

The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department reports that a North Highlands man who disappeared from his home Wednesday night has been found and is safe.

John Killins, 55 (pictured), who deputies say has a diminished mental capacity, had last been seen at 10 p.m. Wednesday at his North Highlands home in the 3600 block of Turner Drive.

Killins typically uses a bus pass to ride Regional Transit.

A man allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol was arrested after he led police on a chase, authorities said.

While Citrus Heights police were conducting a DUI checkpoint on Friday at Greenback Lane and Birdcage Drive, officers noticed a reckless driver around Sayonara and San Simeon Drives, according to reports.

Police attempted to stop the driver, but he refused to stop. The suspect, later identified as 25-year-old Michael Ballard, allegedly led police on a chase toward the DUI checkpoint, driving the wrong way on Greenback Lane and striking the center divider.

Ballard's vehicle eventually became disabled, and he fled on foot, police said. Moments later, he was apprehended and arrested on suspicion of multiple violations, including driving under the influence.

Four Fresno County residents were arrested in Citrus Heights early this morning after police received reports of several people removing property from a local business.

Officers responded to the 7200 block of Auburn Boulevard about 4:45 a.m. As they arrived at the scene, the suspects drove away from the business in what was later determined to be a stolen U-Haul box van, according to a Police Department news release.

Officers tried to make a vehicle stop, but the van sped off and police gave chase. The pursuit ended when the U-Haul driver tried to ram apartment complex security gates on Auburn Oaks Court, police said.

A Citrus Heights man was arrested today, accused of participating in a credit card fraud scheme and money laundering activities.

A federal grand jury in Sacramento on Thursday returned a 36-count indictment against Oganes Serobyan, 40. The indictment was unsealed after his arrest today. He is to be arraigned Friday, according to a federal Department of Justice news release.

According to the indictment, in November 2009, Serobyan established a sham business, Link & Work Holdings LLC, which purported to sell "e-books" online. Between November 2010 and May 2011, the company is alleged to have unlawfully obtained American Express charge card numbers and made tens of thousands of unauthorized charges on them that were ultimately credited to Link & Work Holdings' bank account.

A Silver Alert has been activated for am 89-year-old woman missing from Citrus Heights.

The woman, Evelyn Nash, possibly has early onset of dementia, according to a news release from the California Highway Patrol's Emergency Notification and Tactical Alert Center.

She was last seen about 3:45 a.m. last Wednesday in the Citrus Heights area. According to the release, she was driving a gray, two-door Cadillac CTS with possible damage to the driver's door and a California license plate of 5LLT084.

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

QUESTION: What happened to the guy that was arrested for the killing of the leader of the white supremacist group?
Submitted by: Janice, Sacramento

ANSWER:No one has been charged in the March 2011 shooting death of white supremacist David Austin Lynch at his Citrus Heights home.

The intersection of Sunrise Boulevard and Greenback Lane in Citrus Heights will serve as a fundraising hub for firefighters who will ask passing motorists to help fill their boots to aid burn survivors.

This year's "Fill the Boot" drive in Citrus Heights is scheduled Friday through Monday. Firefighters will be on hand to collect donations from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday.

A free safety fair also is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday outside at Sunrise Mall.

Applications are being taken for a free, ten-week class that provides an overview of the criminal justice system.

The 13th Citizen Academy Class, established by the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office, seeks to answer community questions and build bridges between the criminal justice system and ethnic, racial and faith-based communities.

The course is held Tuesday evenings from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. beginning April 9 at the Sacramento Police Department headquarters, 5770 Freeport Blvd.

Members will learn about racial profiling, gang and hate crimes, in-car cameras and police internal affairs departments. Scheduled this year are a tour of the county jail and a police dog demonstration.

Application forms are at http://www.sacda.org/community. Call Cecile Velasco at (916) 874-7428 for more information.

Citrus Heights police are seeking three people who robbed a local restaurant Thursday night.

Officers responded to the Star of Siam restaurant at 6029 Greenback Lane about 8:40 p.m. regarding a reported robbery.

Three males wearing dark-colored ski masks, and each armed with a gun, entered the business and demanded money from the cashier, according to a Police Department news release. The suspects also ordered customers to the floor and took personal items, including a cell phone and camera.

A woman and her 7-year-old son who had been sought by Citrus Heights police because of concerns about the boy's welfare have been located in Reno.

Danielle Virginia Lake walked into the Reno Police Department with her son, Justice, indicating that she had seen a news story in Reno, according to a Citrus Heights Police Department news release. Reno police, as the request of Citrus Heights police, took boy into protective custody.

Justice Terrence Seiler of Citrus Heights had been last seen at his home on Sunday and was believed to be with his 41-year-old mother.

A police news release stated, "circumstances surrounding the contact of Justice at his home," prompted the request for the public's help in finding the boy.

A Citrus Heights man has been arrested in connection with several burglaries that have occurred in the city in recent weeks.

Citrus Heights police officers contacted a suspicious looking man in the 7800 block of Sayonara Drive about 2:34 a.m. today. The man, identified as Scott Alan James, 42, was found to be in possession of jewelry, and officers located a flat-screen television and other property nearby, according to a Police Department news release.

The property was found to belong to a resident in the 6600 block of Rinconada Drive. Police said the home had been broken into and the property stolen while the residents slept.

Motorists can have catalytic converters etched with their license plate numbers for free in Citrus Heights.

The Citrus Heights Police Department is teaming up with Scott's Econo Lube N' Tune to offer the service in an effort to reduce the theft of the emission control devices.

The engraving will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 9 at Scott's, 8013 Arcadia Drive near Sunrise Mall.

Thieves often steal the emission control devices from high-off-the-ground trucks and SUVs because they can easily slide under the vehicles and then unbolt or saw off the converter.

The converters are stolen for the metals contained within the devices. Thefts have occurred at shopping centers and home driveways, according to Citrus Heights police.

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

QUESTION: What is the legal standing of the Citrus Heights private school principal? It's been quite a while since he was charged, and I haven't seen any information lately.
Submitted by: J. Smith, Sacramento

ANSWER: A preliminary hearing for Robert Benson Adams, former principal of Creative Frontiers school in Citrus Heights, has been continued several times.

A 27-year-old Citrus Heights man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing child pornography.

Derrick James Kennedy was sentenced today in Sacramento by U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. Kennedy also will be subject to 10 years of supervised release following his prison term, according to a federal Department of Justice news release.

Kennedy pleaded guilty in March to one count of possession of child pornography. According to court documents, law enforcement agents traced user-sharing files of child pornography on a peer-to-peer file-sharing program to Kennedy's Citrus Heights residence.

Three months after he was hit by a driver allegedly under the influence of drugs, little Henry Perez-Rocha (pictured) has died.

The Sacramento County Coroner's website notes that the six-year-old died at 1:45 a.m. Wednesday.

Henry and his brother, Juan Perez-Rocha, 8, were struck in a crosswalk Oct. 5 at Greenback Lane and Mariposa Avenue on their way to Skycrest Elementary in Citrus Heights.

Police said that a Chrysler 300 driven by Tresa Bales-Sterba, 52, of Orangevale collided with a Chevy Suburban in the intersection, then spun into the children. The boys' mother was walking behind her sons with another child and witnessed the accident.

SMUD is warning a phone scam continues to be perpetrated on its business customers.

Around the holiday season, some customers reported getting phone calls by someone pretending to represent the Sacramento Municipal Utility District. The caller threatened to shut off a home's or business's electric power unless the customer pays a past-due bill immediately at a payment facility.

The scam attempts were reported by several business customers, the utility said. SMUD said this week that those fraudulent calls continue to be made.

Police have arrested Citrus Heights man in connection with the death of Jack Swaim, 52, who was hit with an unknown object outside his home the morning of Jan. 5 and subsequently died in a local hospital.

Citrus Heights Police detectives serving an arrest warrant took Jeffrey Douglas Powell, 27, (pictured at left) into custody in the 7700 block of Wintergreen Drive in Citrus Heights just after 9 p.m. on Saturday, the department announced today. He was booked in the Sacramento County Main Jail for investigation of homicide.

Police reported they have an arrest warrant for 28-year-old Andrew Les Johnson (pictured at right) related to the homicide.

Citrus Heights police report that warrant has been issued for the arrest of Andrew Les Johnson (pictured), 29, in connection with a Jan. 5 homicide.

Officers responded to the 6300 block of Stonehand Avenue about 6:28 a.m. regarding medical aid for an individual who had been struck with an unknown object. They found the victim unconscious outside of his residence. He was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced.

Police said the victim -- identified by the Sacramento County Coroner's Office as Jack Swaim, 52 -- had been stabbed multiple times.

Investigation in the case continues. Anyone with information regarding the incident for Johnson's whereabouts is asked to call the Citrus Heights Police Department at (916) 727-5500.

The Citrus Heights Police Department is ushering in the new year with stepped-up traffic enforcement in school zones.

With students back in school following the holiday break, police remind motorists to slow down near schools.

The city's Police and General Services departments have been working to improve traffic safety in school zones, installing high-visibility signs to alert motorists, according to a Police Department news release. Drivers are reminded not to exceed 25 mph in school zones and to watch out for children, whose actions can be unexpected.

Officers will be conducting extra patrols in all school areas, enforcing school zone speed limits and looking for distracted driving, as well as right-of-way and pedestrian violations. Parents are reminded to make sure their children wear helmets when riding bicycles or scooters, or skating to school.

Citrus Heights police officials have released new information about the confrontation that led an officer to fatally shoot a suspected car thief.

About 2 a.m. Thursday, police responded to the 8000 block of Debbie Ann Court after a report of a car burglary in progress by two suspects.

According to updated information from the Police Department, the first officer to arrive on scene located one of the suspects, who, in a confrontation with the officer, ignored officer's commands to show his hands.

A Citrus Heights man is dead after being struck with an unknown object, the second homicide in the city in 12 hours.

However, though close in proximity and in timing, Citrus Heights police say the two incidents are not related.

Police responded to the 6300 block of Stonehand Avenue on a medical call involving a person struck with an unknown object, according to a police news release. There, they found the victim unconscious outside of his house.

A Citrus Heights couple awoke early this morning after an unattended fire in their fireplace caused a raging fire in the home's attic.

The couple escaped injury, but half of the Peoria Drive home was damaged in the fire, according to a Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District news release.

The first arriving firefighters were met with 30- to 40-foot flames. It took 24 firefighters to extinguish it.

Metro Fire officials say the fire is a reminder of the dangers of leaving a fire unattended in a fireplace, and want to remind people to never close the damper when there are hot ashes in the fireplace. According to the news release, a closed damper will help the fire heat up again and force carbon monoxide into the home.

The man fatally shot in a car parked outside a McDonald's in Citrus Heights on Friday night has been identified as 28-year-old Baron Seidel.

About 6 p.m., police responded to the 7800 block of Lichen Drive after reports of a shooting. There, they found a man, now identified as Seidel, inside a parked vehicle with a gunshot wound.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The suspect fatally shot by a Citrus Heights police officer Wednesday has been identified as 20-year-old Hunter Todd.

Police also have identified the suspect who was with Todd at the time as 36-year-old Richard Martin Duran. Duran was arrested on suspicion of attempted car theft, burglary of a car and possession of burglary tools, according to a police news release.

Duran also had two warrants out for his arrest, one for possession of burglary tools and the other for a traffic matter, police said.

One man is dead following a shooting this evening in Citrus Heights.

Police spokesman Officer Bryan Fritsch said officers responded at 6 p.m. to a report of an assault with a firearm in the 7800 block of Lichen Drive, near Antelope Road. When they arrived, they found a man dead inside a vehicle in a McDonalds parking lot.

Fristch said investigators believe the shooting was an isolated incident and that the parties involved may have known each other.

A Citrus Heights police officer shot and killed a suspected thief this morning.

Suspicious activity was reported about 2 a.m. in the vicinity of Debbie Ann Court and Glen Alta Way, police said. A caller to the police department said that two men drove into the neighborhood and got out of their vehicle.

One man, wearing a hooded sweatshirt, got out and entered another vehicle two houses away from the caller. The reporting party did not recognize man in the hoodie nor the vehicle he arrived in.

A 3-year-old boy died this evening after he was struck by a vehicle at Sunrise Boulevard and Lawrence Avenue in Citrus Heights.

The accident was reported about 5:30 p.m. When police officers arrived they administered emergency aid, including CPR, until Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District crews arrived, according to a Police Department news release. The child was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Police said the child's name was being withheld at the request of his family.

Red-light enforcement cameras were activated today at two of Citrus Heights' busiest intersections.

Cameras and violation sensors now monitor the intersections at Greenback Lane and Auburn Boulevard and Greenback Lane and Sunrise Boulevard. The program is intended to improve safety and the flow of traffic, according to a Citrus Heights Police Department news release.

Drivers are granted a 30-day grace period following installation of the cameras before authorities begin issuing citations. During January, warning notices will be issued for red-light violations at these intersections. Beginning Jan. 31, violators will receive citations and will be responsible for a $481 fine.

Nearly 3,000 drivers were caught breaking cell phone rules during a crackdown in 37 police jurisdictions in and around Sacramento County.

"We are committed to saving lives on area roadways, and drivers should expect to continue to see officers enforcing cell phone driving laws time and time again," said state Office of Traffic Safety director Chris Murphy.

California was one of two states to receive grants for high-visibility law enforcement pilot programs to squelch motorists' hand-held cell phone use and texting. In addition to California, Delaware was selected to mount a pilot project.

The California program, dubbed "Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other," was conducted in eight counties with 3.8 million residents in an area ranging from Modesto to Marysville and Vallejo to South Lake Tahoe. The crackdown occurred from Nov. 30 to Dec. 9.

By Phillip Reese
preese@sacbee.com

Citrus Heights Police have arrested a woman for investigation of attempted murder after she allegedly shot an acquaintance multiple times.

Kathleen French, 47, of Citrus Heights, is alleged to have shot the man inside a home on the 7300 block of Single Way around 8 p.m. Friday night. French knew the victim, whose name has not been released, but authorities are unsure of a motive for the shooting, according to a police statement.

The man's injuries are serious, but not life threatening, police said. He was taken to Mercy San Juan Hospital.

French is being held in the Sacramento Jail. She has also been charged with discharging a firearm in a negligent manner and battery against a person with bodily injury, both felonies.

The Citrus Heights Police Department seeks help identifying a man who has been seen twice on a school campus in the past couple of weeks.

Officers responded to Citrus Heights Elementary School, 7085 Auburn Blvd., on Friday regarding a report of a suspicious subject on campus.

The man was discovered inside a classroom while students were in the library. When questioned by a teacher, he said he was waiting for his wife to park the car, according to a Police Department news release. He then left the campus, and officers were unable to locate him.

A Shasta Lake man is in custody following a hit-and-run collision in Citrus Heights that left a motorcyclist with major injuries, according to police.

Westbound Greenback Lane between Sunrise Boulevard and Birdcage Street was closed for about five hours while police investigated the collision, which occurred just before 12:30 p.m.

A van collided with a motorcycle and then fled the scene, according to a Citrus Heights Police Department news release. The van was located a few blocks away in a parking lot in the area of Sunrise and Sun Hill Drive, but the driver was gone. Police later located the suspected driver, identified as Adam McGue, 30, of Shasta Lake. He was arrested on suspicion of hit and run with injury.

Citizens have until Feb. 6 to apply to serve on the 2013-2014 Sacramento County Grand Jury.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old, U.S. citizens and reside in Sacramento County. The grand jury serves from July 10, 2013 to June 30, 2014.

To get an application questionnaire and view a fact sheet, go to www.sacgrandjury.org or call the grand jury coordinator at (916) 874-7559.

A woman missing for nearly a week after leaving Citrus Heights for a trip across the stormy Sierra has been found alive, but her boyfriend is dead, authorities said.

Citrus Heights police said that Paula Lane, 46, of Gardnerville, Nev., was found alive walking along Highway 88/89 in Alpine County last night. Lane was located by a family member and she is recovering in a hospital.

Her boyfriend, Roderick Paul Clifton, 44, was found dead.

Law enforcement agencies from four counties are searching for two adults who were reported missing by family members three days ago.

Roderick Clifton, 44, of Citrus Heights, and Paula Lane, 46, left a relative's Citrus Heights home Thursday in a dark blue 1989 Jeep Cherokee. They were expected to arrive at Lane's Gardnerville, Nev., home the same day.

Family members grew concerned given the inclement weather.

Neither has been heard from since, according to the Citrus Heights Police Department. While there is no evidence of foul play, a search of credit card and cell phone activity has yielded no leads on their whereabouts, authorities said.

Officers from the El Dorado Sheriff's, Alpine Sheriff's, California Highway Patrol and the Douglas County, Nev., Sheriff's departments have been involved in searching for Clifton and Lane.

Citrus Heights police said a husband is suspected of ramming one of his wife's co-workers and another man into a plate glass window with an SUV.

Detectives said that the incident began Sunday with an argument between two co-workers. One of the co-workers allegedly called her husband who went to the 7900 block of Auburn Boulevard about 9 p.m. Sunday.

There, the co-worker who had argued with the woman, was on foot in front of a closed business. That is when the husband, identified as Anthony Ray Robinson, 47, of North Highlands, ran his sport utility vehicle into his wife's co-worker and another man, police said.

A Citrus Heights man was arraigned today in federal court in Sacramento on mortgage fraud charges.

Daniel Gherasim, 36, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Thursday for bank fraud, false statements on a loan and credit application, money laundering, and structuring in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud a bank in obtaining a home equity loan, according to a Department of Justice news release.

According to the indictment, in November 2008, Gherasim submitted a fraudulent loan application for a home equity line of credit that he took out on a home he owned at the time in Folsom. The application inflated the amount of equity he had in the property.

Citrus Heights police report that Greenback Lane has reopened to traffic.

Westbound lanes between Fair Oaks Boulevard and Arcadia Drive were closed earlier this evening because of a collision that resulted in serious injury.

The collision, which involved a motorcycle and a pick-up truck, is under investigation.

The third fire traced to electrical problems in 30 days has prompted a suburban fire district to caution homeowners about doing electrical repairs themselves.

On Thursday at about 3:30 p.m. Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District firefighters were called to the 8100 block of Dunes Court, near Highway 99 and Calvine Road, where a garage was engulfed in flames. Crews stopped the fire from spreading into the home and also rescued the family dog and cat.

The residents of the home were away at the time of the fire. Arson investigators determined "the cause to be electrical in nature," according to a fire district press release.

A Citrus Heights woman has admitted defrauding her employer of more than $1.7 million.

Kathe Rascher, 53, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Sacramento to one count of mail fraud and one count of tax evasion, according to a Department of Justice news release.

According to the plea agreement, Rascher, a bookkeeper for River Valley Insurance Associates Inc., defrauded the firm of more than $1.7 million and failed to disclose the embezzled income in May 2006, when she filed her federal tax returns for the years 2004 and 2005.

By Richard Chang
rchang@sacbee.com

A man who broke into multiple homes and fled from police is behind bars, authorities said.

Officers were called out to the 8400 block of Pearl Way in Citrus Heights at 10:30 p.m. Friday for a botched burglary attempt. Police said the suspect, identified as Daniel Travis Tinney of Fair Oaks, fled in a stolen vehicle after the homeowner confronted him.

The 23-year-old Tinney crashed the vehicle into a telephone pole near Twin Oaks Avenue and Mariposa Avenue and then fled on foot, according to police reports.

Shortly after, a resident of the 7600 block of Roberts Lane called police after the suspect entered his house and "made threats to shoot the people inside." A police helicopter found Tinney leaving the house and making his way towards another home at the 7600 block of Twin Oaks Avenue.

Police then took Tinney into custody and booked him into Sacramento County Jail on multiple charges, including burglary and home invasion, according to reports.

A fire in a Citrus Heights mobile home park claimed the life of a female resident early Friday morning.

The unidentified woman was found dead, along with two small dogs, inside a recreational vehicle at the Auburn Vista Mobile Home Park at 7721 Auburn Blvd., when Sacramento Metro firefighters arrived on the scene about 2:30 a.m., said Battalion Chief Patrick Ellis.

Ellis said the RV was apparently the woman's home.

Citrus Heights police went to the 7700 block of Bierston Street this morning after reports that a resident had shot an intruder.

Turns out, the supposed intruder was actually the resident's former rooommate, who came to settle a drug dispute by grabbing some of the resident's pot plants growing in the backyard, according to Citrus Heights police.

The 34-year-old former roommate was taken to a local hospital with shotgun wounds that were not life-threatening, police said. The resident, later identified by police as 37-year-old Jeri Higby, was taken to jail.

Police arrested Higby on suspicion of arrest with a deadly weapon. He is being held in the Sacramento County Main Jail in lieu of $75,000.

When police arrived, they found the victim in the resident's backyard. Higby was cooperative, authorities said; however, it was not immediately clear whether initial information that the man he shot was trying to break in was accurate.

Detectives later learned that Higby was in an ongoing fight with his former roommate regarding an amount of marijuana, according to Detective Chad Morris. That former roommate came to the Bierston Street home today and attempted to take marijuana plants from the backyard. The shooting followed an argument between the men, Morris said.

According to Sacramento Superior Court records available online, Higby has a criminal record that includes convictions for misdemeanor possession of stolen property and grand theft.

He was sent to a drug diversion program in 1998 and again the next year after he was charged with being under the influence of a controlled substance, records show. That charge later was dismissed.

  

By Kim Minugh
kminugh@sacbee.com

Little Juan Perez-Rocha (above, right) is finally out of the hospital, but he keeps wanting to go back.

That's where his little brother, 6-year-old Henry (above, left), remains, still slumbering in a coma that set in when the two boys were struck by a car while walking to school Friday morning.

Eight-year-old Juan seems to understand what's going on around him, said the boys' aunt, Candice Perez, and he wants to be there for his brother.

A trust fund has been set up and a carwash scheduled to help the family of two boys who were injured when hit by a driver in Citrus Heights last week.

Henry Perez-Rocha, 6, and his brother Juan, 8, were hit by the car shortly after 8 a.m. Friday in the intersection of Greenback Lane and Mariposa Road while walking to Skycrest Elementary School.

Witnesses said the boys were in the crosswalk when the car driven by Tresa Bales-Sterba, pictured at left, sideswiped another car at the busy intersection, spun out of control and struck the boys.

Motorcycle thefts were down last year in the U.S., despite increased sales, according to an insurance industry group.

A report by the National Insurance Crime Bureau released today said 2011 motorcycle thefts are down six percent from the year before. A total of 46,667 motorcycles were reported stolen in 2011, compared with 49,791 in 2010.

The decrease in thefts came as sales were slightly up. Sales increased to 440,899 motorbikes in 2011 from 439,678 in 2010, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council.

A Sacramento Superior Court judge this morning sentenced a 22-year-old woman to 25-years-to-life for stabbing her on-and-off-again lover to death - 91 times - in a fit of jealousy and rage.

In August, a jury convicted Lan Anh Le of first-degree murder in the March 2010 stabbing of Monica Anderson, 26. Le was 20 at the time.

Judge Ernest W. Sawtelle handed down the maximum sentence after addressing Anderson's tearful family in the audience, telling them he couldn't help but think of his own daughter and what it would be like to lose a child.

"My deepest sympathy is extended to you," Sawtelle said, "and I feel a great sense of sorrow on your behalf."

By Tony Bizjak

tbizjak@sacbee.com

Citrus Heights police have identified the woman arrested in connection with this morning's crash that severely injured two young school children as 52-year-old Tresa Bales-Sterba of Orangevale.

She was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on suspicion of felony driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance. Police said she remained on the scene and was cooperative.

Police spokesman Chad Morris said the woman had been westbound on Greenback Lane when she hit another car, went into a spin and struck the two children.

The two students who suffered major injuries are siblings in first and third grades at Skycrest Elementary school.

The crash that injured the brothers occurred about 8 a.m. at Greenback Lane and Mariposa Avenue.

"We have our support folks standing by at the school, ready to assist as needed, " said Roger Stock, a San Juan Unified School District spokesman.

Another district spokesman said early reports indicated that the children were in a crosswalk when they were hit by the vehicle.

One boy was transported to UC Davis Medical Center and the other to Mercy San Juan Hospital. The boys' family has been contacted and the support group is at Skycrest to help any children.

Skycrest Elementary is located at 5641 Mariposa Ave, about a half mile from Greenback Lane.

Police said that both directions of Greenback Lane were closed between San Juan Avenue and Birdcage Street.

The Sacramento County Coroner's Office has identified the man stabbed to death outside his Citrus Heights home Tuesday night as 29-year-old Juan Rangel Villanueva.

Residents of the home on the 5600 block of Mariposa Avenue tried to render aid to Villanueva, pictured at left, when he was discovered shortly before 11 p.m., as did Citrus Heights police officers who arrived on scene. However, Villanueva was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said Villanueva was attacked in front of the house.

Police say they have no viable leads and are asking that anyone with information about this crime call the Police Department at (916) 727-5500.

A 31-year-old man has been sentenced to 115 years to life in prison for a string of crimes he committed in Citrus Heights and North Highlands two years ago.

Sacramento Superior Court Judge Ben Davidian sentenced James Earl Lawhead under the "three strikes" law, according to a Sacramento County District Attorney's Office news release.

On July 25, 2010, Lawhead disguised himself and robbed the manager of the Blockbuster Video store, 7291 Greenback Lane, at gunpoint as the woman walked to the bank to make a store deposit, authorities said. Following a Citrus Heights Police Department investigation, a warrant was issued for Lawhead's arrest.

Citrus Heights police this morning are investigating the fatal stabbing of a man found last night outside his residence.

Police were called about 10:50 p.m. to a home in the 5600 block of Mariposa Avenue across the street from Skycrest Elementary School. Initially, residents of the home tried to render aid to the man.

Once police arrived, officers also attempted life-saving efforts. However, the man was pronounced dead shortly after police responded.

Police said it appears that the man was attacked in front of the house. The victim's name has not been released, however, he is described as being in his late 20s or early 30s.

The motive for the stabbing is not known. Police do not have any information to indicate the killing is gang related.

Investigators continue to gather evidence this morning.

A Citrus Heights woman was arrested this evening, accused of making a false police report that led officers to cordone off an apartment complex this afternoon.

Citrus Heights officers responded to the 12800 block of Fair Oaks Boulevard about 3 p.m. after receiving a call from Nicholl Schmid, 31, who said there were men in her apartment with guns and they wouldn't let her leave, according to a Police Department news release.

Police received information that Schmid was in an apartment with one man. Officers were able to contact the man, who came out of the apartment without incident. Police subsequently negotiated with Schmid, who agreed to leave the apartment, and officers detained her.

After further investigation, police arrested Schmid on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance and making a false police report. She was booked into Sacramento County Jail.

A San Francisco man was arrested Saturday after allegedly ramming a Citrus Heights police car as he tried to flee from officers.

About 6:30 p.m., a Citrus Heights officer spotted an occupied stolen vehicle near Greenback and Van Maren lanes. The driver, identified as 27-year-old Corey Lather (pictured), fled in the vehicle, according to a Police Department news release.

The officer pursued Lather onto Mariposa Avenue and continued onto Challis Court. Lather turned around in the cul de sac and attempted to escape by ramming the police vehicle, officials said.

Officials are investigating a suspicious fire that erupted this morning at a vacant house in Citrus Heights, the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District said.

Firefighters responded just before 8 a.m. to heavy smoke and flames pouring from a home at 6921 Birchwood Circle, according to a news statement. Crews discovered the house was vacant and extinguished the fire, which burned into the attic and attached garage.

Investigators said frequent squatters were reported at the house. One witness described a man in his 30s with a beard leaving the scene on a bike and pulling a trailer just before the fire was reported.

Anyone with information about the case is urged to call the Metro Fire arson tip line at (916) 859-3775.

Citrus Heights police are investigating a drive-by shooting that wounded an Antelope man this morning.

Officers responded to the area of Kanai Avenue and Auburn Boulevard at 10:51 a.m. regarding a report of a drive-by shooting into a vehicle. They said the victim, a man in his early 20s, called 911 immediately after he was shot.

The victim was alert and talking when emergency personnel arrived, according to a Police Department news release. He was transported to a local hospital with injuries that were believed to be serious but not life-threatening, authorities said. No one else was injured.

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

QUESTION: What happened to the man and his girlfriend who stuffed a sock in his baby's mouth, covered him with a blanket, strapped him in his car seat and put it in the hall closet? The baby was discovered dead by the woman's pre-teen daughter when she came home from a sleepover.

Submitted by: Mary, Sacramento

ANSWER: A Sacramento County jury convicted Tye Malecha and his girlfriend, Cheri Hall, of second-degree murder, child homicide and child endangerment in the 2001 death of Malecha's 19-month old son, Randy.

Citrus Heights police struck out Monday night when they went looking for a suspect in a home on Sawgrass Circle -- but ended up booking seven other people at the residence on suspicion of various charges.

Officers went to the 7900 block of Sawgrass Circle in search of a woman wanted on suspicion of committing property crimes in the area. She was not at the home.

However, seven other people in the house, on parole or probation, were arrested on charges, including possession of dangerous drugs, possession of burglary tools and parole violations.

The original wanted suspect was found in Orangevale where she was arrested.

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.

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.

Two Citrus Heights residents today pleaded guilty in federal court in Sacramento to identity theft, credit card fraud and possessing stolen U.S. mail.

Court documents show sheriff's deputies on July 2, 2011, found Matthew Ray Ausborn, 32, and Christina Leanne Barrios, 29, asleep inside an idling car on a residential street in Carmichael. Barrios was arrested on an outstanding warrant and consented to the search of his vehicle.

The search turned up a small amount of methamphetamine, approximately 400 pieces of stolen mail involving more than 250 victims, multiple identification documents for other people, checks, financial documents, handwritten notes containing personal identifying information, a laptop computer, printer and blank check paper, a federal Department Justice news release shows.

There was no question in Dept. 17 this morning of who killed Monica Anderson.

Instead, attorneys in the Sacramento Superior courtroom debated in their opening statements whether Lan Anh Le stabbed her 26-year-old lover in a premeditated, calculated attack on March 13, 2010 or in a fit of passion.

Deputy District Attorney Anthony Ortiz warned jurors that they would see gruesome evidence during the trial, but argued that the case is a "straightforward" murder case.

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

QUESTION: What became of Dennis Mains, convicted for murdering his wife, Pamela Wales?
Submitted by: Brian, Carmichael

ANSWER: Dennis Robert Mains was sentenced in March 2011 to 50 years to life in prison for killing his wife.

According to stories in The Bee, Mains shot Pamela Wales, 61, twice in the head April 25, 2008, as she slept in the guest house the couple shared behind her daughter's home on Jana Maria Court in Citrus Heights.

Prosecutors said Mains killed his wife because she wanted to divorce him.

Mains pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, but a Sacramento County jury determined that he was sane when he shot his wife and convicted him of first-degree murder.

Mains, 62, is in Mule Creek State Prison in Ione.

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

QUESTION: In the '90s there was a killing committed by Douglas Randall Carlyle. The victim was David Dukes. Were these two friends and what were the details of the crime?
Submitted by: Michael, Roseville

ANSWER: Douglas Randall Carlyle was arrested in November 1999 at his home in the Arden Arcade area.

A man wanted on warrants for domestic violence and narcotics offenses was arrested this afternoon after Citrus Heights police located him in the attic of an apartment complex.

Officers responded to the 7700 block of Greenback Lane regarding a report that a wanted suspect was in the area. The officers received information that 37-year-old Shem Ortiz was inside an apartment and had two outstanding warrants for his arrest, according to a Police Department news release.

Officers confirmed the Ortiz was in the attic of an apartment in the complex. After negotiations with officers, Ortiz came out of the attic and was taken into custody without incident, officials said.

Ortiz was arrested on a domestic violence warrant out of Sacramento County and a narcotics warrant out of Placer County. He was booked into Sacramento County Jail.

A Citrus Heights woman has pleaded no contest in Sacramento Superior Court to embezzling from her employer.

In 2010-11, Jewel Taheerah Carbone, 34, was an escrow clerk at Fidelity National Title Co. As part of her duties, Carbone oversaw the collection and disbursement of monies from various escrow accounts. She illegally diverted funds from 22 escrow accounts into her personal bank accounts, resulting in a theft of $42,950, according to a Sacramento County District Attorney's Office news release.

Carbone is to be sentenced Aug. 31 by Superior Court Judge Lloyd Connelly.

According the District Attorney's Office, Carbone will be placed on five years probation and ordered to serve up to one year in county jail, of which 90 days must be served in custody and the remainder on a sheriff's work release program. She also will be ordered to pay restitution.

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

QUESTION: When and where was Tom Daniels, the Rio Linda Baptist Church preacher, sentenced to do his time?
Submitted by: Cathi, Antelope

ANSWER: Tommy Gene Daniels was sentenced March 2 to 158 years to life in prison and is incarcerated at California State Prison, Corcoran.

Police and firefighters were kept busy with Fourth of July calls, including dispersing celebrants setting off illegal fireworks near an east Sacramento park and putting out fires caused by bottle rockets.

Sacramento police responded to at least two fireworks-related calls:

At 9 a.m., police were called Marysville and Arcade boulevards where a security guard was attacked when he tried to stop the burglary of a fireworks stand. The burglars, one armed with a club, fled.

About 3:30 p.m., police were called to the 1100 block of Rodeo Way in east Sacramento on a call regarding suspected illegal fireworks being ignited. When police arrived, the teens scattered, leaving behind a backpack containing illegal fireworks.

Citrus Heights police seek to identify the suspect (pictured) in an armed robbery that occurred this afternoon at the Bank of the West.

Police were called to the bank at 7381 Greenback Lane shortly before 3:30 p.m. They were told that a man entered the bank and approached a teller. He brandished a firearm and demanded cash. After receiving an undisclosed amount of money, he left on foot and was last seen heading north toward Sylvan Road, according to a Police Department news release.

The man was described as 30 to 35 years old, with a medium build and a small tattoo on his neck. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt with green and black writing on it and a long -sleeve white undershirt with black designs on both sleeves. He was reportedly wearing a black beret-style hat.

A 32-year-old man was arrested in the parking lot of a Citrus Heights store Friday night after he allegedly tried to strangle an infant during an argument with his estranged wife.

Daniel Graf (pictured) met his estranged wife in the Walmart parking lot at 7010 Auburn Blvd. shortly before 9 p.m. Friday. They met so that he could visit their 3-month-old infant, but during the visit the couple argued over child custody arrangements and Graf's wife called police, according to a Citrus Heights Police Department news release.

When officers arrived, they began to speak with Graf as he held the infant in his arms. During the conversation, Graf became angry and told the officers that he was going to kill the child, officials said. He allegedly began to choke the infant with his hands.

Citrus Heights police today announced the arrests of two men in connection with an October carjacking.

Detectives on Tuesday served arrest and search warrants on two suspects. Arrested on suspicion of carjacking, robbery and conspiracy were Alejandro Reyes (left photo) of Citrus Heights and Marlin Garcia (right photo) of Sacramento, both 20 years old. The men were taken into custody at their respective homes, according to a Police Department news release.

A third suspect is still at large.

Citrus Heights police are investigating a burglary this morning that led to a fruitless car and foot chase around San Juan Avenue and Farmgate Way.

Citrus Heights Police Officer Chad Morris said two men dressed all in black were burglarizing a cigarette shop around 5 a.m. when police starting tearing after them. The two men hopped into a truck that police later found to be stolen.

After a brief vehicle chase, the men jumped out in a Citrus Heights neighborhood, causing the police to set up a perimeter around San Juan Avenue and Farmgate Way. Although police brought in K-9 units and investigated the area, they were unable to locate the suspects.

A man sustained non-life-threatening injuries after being stabbed in three times in his torso and back regions this morning on the 6400 block of Denton Way, according to Citrus Heights Police Lieutenant Daman Christensen.

The 36-year-old man was outside of the home of 44-year-old Gayleen Ramsay, with whom he had a prior relationship, when he was stabbed around 3 a.m., Christensen said. Police arrested Ramsay for assault with a deadly weapon because of her role in the man's stabbing.

The Citrus Heights Police Department will conduct a workshop June 16 for teenagers and their parents focusing on the importance of traffic safety.

Officials cite statistics showing that for both men and women, drivers age 16 to 19 years old have the highest average annual crash and traffic violation rates of any age group. Traffic crashes also are the leading cause of death for teenagers nationwide.

The traffic safety workshop will focus on driver safety, rules of the road, distracted driving, driving under the influence and safety statistics. Parents and teenagers are encouraged to help address the safety concerns.

Citrus Heights police are investigating vandalism that included broken windows and other damage at four schools in the city over the weekend.

The vandals hit Mesa Verde High School at 7501 Carriage Drive and nearby Carriage Drive Elementary School at 7519 Carriage Drive, as well as Sylvan Middle School at 7137 Auburn Blvd. and neighboring Citrus Heights Elementary School at 7085 Auburn Blvd.

Officers responded to Mesa Verde High School at 10:42 p.m. Sunday after a citizen reported seeing a large hole in a school window with broken glass on the ground. Police determined that the school had been entered and notified San Juan Unified School District personnel, according to a Police Department news release.

Vandals broke windows, sprayed graffiti and tipped over computers at a Citrus Heights middle school.

Police were investigating the scene this morning at Sylvan Middle School, 7137 Auburn Blvd., where windows on 11 classrooms were broken, according to a San Juan Unified School District spokesman.

The tipped over computers in one classroom do not appear to be broken. The vandals also used a fire extinguisher to spray its contents around one room.

Most of the rooms will be able to re-open today for students.

Fire officials today are continuing to investigate the cause of a fire that displaced 10 families in a Citrus Heights apartment complex on Saturday evening.

No one was injured. The blaze, however, caused significant damage to 10 units in the Edgewater Apartments on Sunrise Vista Drive, fire officials said Saturday night.

Assistant Chief Walt White of the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District said today that investigators have not been able to rule out outdoor cooking or improperly discarded cooking material as the source of the blaze.

By Brad Branan
bbranan@sacbee.com

A two-alarm fire this evening displaced 10 families in a Citrus Heights apartment complex.

No one was injured but the blaze caused significant damage to 10 units in the Edgewater Apartments on Sunrise Vista Drive, said Assistant Chief Scott Cockrum of the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department.

The department arrived about 7 p.m. and had the fire put out in about 30 minutes, he said. A creek running behind the complex prevented the department from accessing the rear part of the building, where the fire started, he said.

A former private school principal who has been charged with six felony counts of child molestation pleaded not guilty today.

Robert Benson Adams, 61, who used to run the Creative Frontiers school in Citrus Heights, entered his plea on his eighth court appearance since his arrest last September.

Sacramento Superior Court Judge John P. Winn scheduled Adams' preliminary hearing for Aug. 17.

Adams is accused in the felony counts of molesting girls at the school who were under the age of 14. He faces a seventh, misdemeanor count of annoying or molesting a child under the age of 18.

A suspected tagger from Citrus Heights was arrested Tuesday night for allegedly defacing freeway signs in the Oak Park-Curtis Park area.

Timothy Navarro, 20, was booked into Sacramento County jail on suspicion of felony vandalism.

At about 10:45 p.m. a citizen reported that somebody was spray painting graffiti on the freeway signs on Highway 99 near 12th Avenue. Responding California Highway Patrol officers saw fresh graffiti on northbound and southbound signs -- and a man standing on a highway sign catwalk.

The CHP requested help from the Sacramento Police Department and shortly after 11 p.m., city officers had somebody who matched the tagger's description. CHP officers responded and took the suspect, Navarro, into custody.

The CHP said in a press release that Navarro had fresh paint on his clothing and hands.

PHOTO CAPTION: Timothy Navarro

Cameras on the cars of Sacramento County probation officers have snagged another stolen vehicle - this time a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado pickup.

Cameras on two probation department cars automatically focus on license plates of cars and trucks as officers go about their regular duties on the streets of Sacramento County. More than 3,000 license plates can be scanned in an hour.

Every so often they get a hit, matching a vehicle with cars and trucks on a statewide list of stolen vehicles. Since April 2010, the department has found 193 stolen vehicles using the plate-matching technology.

A Citrus Heights bookkeeper has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly embezzling more than $1.7 million from her employer over a five-year period and not paying income taxes on the loot.

Kathe Rascher, 53, is charged in 12 counts of mail fraud and five counts of tax evasion. She was arrested this morning and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before U. S. Magistrate Judge Kendall J. Newman.

According to the indictment, Rascher systematically drained the funds of River Valley Insurance Associates Inc. by writing checks to herself and her family members on the company's bank account and, due to her position as bookkeeper, was able to cover her tracks by altering internal records and creating fictitious invoices.

The indictment also accuses Rascher of evading federal income taxes on the stolen money for the years 2004 through 2008.

A Citrus Heights man arrested after allegedly firing an AK-47 assault rifle in the backyard of a Sacramento home was being held today in lieu of $105,000 bail for investigation of numerous felony violations.

Kelly Miller, 49, was leaving in his vehicle from the home in the 2200 block of Bell Avenue in Sacramento when police arrived shortly after 3:30 p.m. Friday, authorities said. Police stopped the car, detained the suspect and found the AK-47 with him.

A search of his home in Citrus Heights also turned up a cache of survivalist gear and weapons, including two additional AK-47 rifles, a gas mask, night vision goggles, a ballistic vest, ammunition and methamphetamine pipes, said Sacramento Police spokesman Sgt. Andrew Pettit.

In a news conference this afternoon, Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones formally introduced his new anti-gang "Impact Division," and announced preliminary results from the team's efforts.

Since the division began its work in January, gang detectives assigned to the division have seized more than 100 guns, some of which are pictured at left, and arrested nearly 125 suspects, Jones said.

In addition, deputies have seized 4.3 pounds of cocaine, 153 pounds of marijuana, 29 grams of heroin and almost a pound of methamphetamines, Jones said.

"Can I say we've beaten the gang problem? No," said Jones, flanked by commanders from partnering agencies. "We have a lot of work to do."

But Jones said he has high expectations for the division and believes it is off to a strong start.

"Hopefully it gives people optimism we are taking the youth violence problem seriously," Jones said.

Last fall, the Sheriff's Department was awarded a $11.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's COPS Office. The money was to fund a collaborative anti-gang approach that Jones said he began crafting after he took office in 2010.

The division is made up of 31 sheriff's employees and 10 officers from outside agencies. Those partnering with the Sheriff's Department are: Police departments from Elk Grove, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova and Galt; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's Special Service Unit; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and homeland security.

Jones also announced a new tipline for information about gang-related activity. The tipline is also designed for youths who want help getting out of the gang life, Jones said. That number is (855) 2NO-GANG, or (855) 266-4264.

"It's never too late to turn around," Jones said.

To those who have no interest in changing their habits, Jones had a message: "We will find you, we will identify you, and we will arrest you."

The division has a three-pronged approach: gang suppression, intelligence and youth outreach. To read more about the Impact division, go here.

Photos show some of the guns seized by members of the Sacramento County Sheriff's Impact Division. Photo by Bee staff writer Kim Minugh.

Saturation patrols on surface streets and Sacramento freeways are scheduled for Cinco de Mayo.

The deploying of saturation patrols to cut down on drunk driving begins at 7 p.m. Saturday. Friends gather to celebrate the Mexican holiday with barbecues, beer and margaritas, but be careful after the party ends, warned law enforcement.

"Everyone, including hosts, local bars and restaurants must be sure to promote designated sober drivers in advance, before the festivities begin," said Citrus Heights Police Chief Chris Boyd.

The greatest number of DUI deaths and injuries occur late Saturday night and early Sunday morning, according to a press release from the police department.

By Robert D. Dávila
rdavila@sacbee.com

A 63-year-old man was taken to a hospital Sunday after crashing his car into a power pole and becoming trapped by fallen high-voltage lines on Auburn Boulevard in Citrus Heights.

The collision is under investigation as a possible case of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, according to a Citrus Heights police statement.

According to police, officers who responded around 4:45 p.m. to a call about a vehicle collision on Auburn Drive near Greenback Lane learned the California High Patrol was helping a disabled motorist. While pushing the car out of the roadway, the driver tried to flee and drove the car into oncoming traffic and across Auburn Boulevard before hitting the power pole, the statement said.

The crash knocked down live power lines that trapped the driver, officials said. A SMUD crew was called to turn off the power to allow Sacramento Metropolitan firefighters to extricate the driver from the car.

Anyone with information about the collision is asked to call the Citrus Heights Police Department at (916) 727-5500 or the Traffic Tip Line at (916) 727-5525.

A Citrus Heights mini-mart was held up last night by robbers who got away despite a multi-agency search for the culprits.

Citrus Heights police said that about 9 p.m. Thursday, three men wearing ski masks entered the Citrus Mart, 7601 Sunrise Boulevard. At gunpoint, they demanded cash from the clerk and then fled the store with an undisclosed amount of money.

They were last seen running toward the rear of the building. Citrus Heights officers, along with a Sacramento police dog unit and the California Highway Patrol helicopter crew, searched without luck to find the robbers.

Anyone who may have information about the hold-up are encouraged to call police at (916) 727-5500.

A 20-year-old man was arrested today in Richmond in connection with a January assault on a Citrus Heights man in Vacaville.

Julian Broussard was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Pacific Regional Fugitive Task Force, according to a U.S. Marshals Service news release.

About 5:35 p.m. Jan. 17, Vacaville police received a report of a shooting in the 1100 block of Alamo Drive. The victim was a 58-year-old Citrus Heights man who had posted property for sale on Craigslist.

By Chris Macias

A "person of interest" has been arrested in a possible gang related shooting which occurred Saturday afternoon in the Sunrise Mall parking lot.

Citrus Heights police were dispatched to the scene at 4:31 p.m. following reports of a single gun shot fired at a victim. The suspected shooter then fled southbound on foot.

A perimeter was set up by police, where an individual was detained and arrested on an unrelated charge. Police are investigating this "person of interest" for the shooting.

No injuries were reported in the shooting. Police are still investigating whether the shooting was gang related.

A Citrus Heights street with a crime-ridden past was the scene of a drive-by shooting last night.

Police said that at about 9:15 p.m. Thursday, officers were called to Sayonara Drive after gunshots rang out. Nobody was struck by the gunfire, but three vehicles and an occupied home were hit.

Several bullet casings were recovered by police.

A 46-year-old man has been arrested after he allegedly tried on two occasions to cause an explosion and fire at his Citrus Heights home.

Anthony Alan Chance (pictured) was arrested Thursday on suspicion of willfully and maliciously attempting to set fire to a structure using a flammable natural gas and making terrorist threats.

On March 4, Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District crews responded to a report of a gas leak in the 6900 block of Amberwick Lane in Citrus Heights. When they arrived, firefighters reported a strong odor of natural gas emanating from the structure. After forcing entry to the residence, they found that a supply line to a natural gas clothes dryer had been manually cut.

Homicide detectives have taken over the lead role in the investigation of missing 22-month-old Dwight Stallings.

However, Sacramento County sheriff's officials stressed that giving homicide detectives command of the search for the little Dwight, does not mean that it is a death investigation.

"Due to the unusual circumstances present in this case, the decision was made that homicide detectives would be better equipped to handle the investigation from this point forward," said a press release this morning from the department.

First order of business for homicide is a morning meeting with volunteers in the south area. The volunteers will help detectives hand out and post flyers with Dwight's picture and information about the case.

Pacific Gas and Electric crews have stopped a natural gas leak reported this afternoon at San Juan High School.

Firefighters were dispatched about 3:30 p.m. after a leak was reported on the Citrus Heights campus.

Assistant Chief Scott Cockrum of the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Protection District said school was out for the day so no evacuations were required, but authorities prevented anyone from entering the grounds.

Cockrum said Pacific Gas and Electric crews were working at the school when a tool broke, causing a leak in a 1.25-inch natural gas line.

He said a day care center on the campus was evacuated before firefighters arrived.

A St. Patrick's Day and night crackdown on drunken driving in Sacramento County resulted in nearly a dozen DUI arrests.

Sacramento's DUI Task Force was made up of officers from Sacramento, Folsom, Citrus Heights, Twin Rivers and Rancho Cordova police department. The task force's next enforcement operation is planned for Cinco de Mayo.

Results of the St. Patrick's Day saturation patrols:

DUI arrests: 11

Citations: 22

Non-DUI-related arrests: 1

Vehicles towed: 6

A man in Citrus Heights was the victim of a knife attack this morning following a confrontation outside his home.

Police said the 32-year-old Citrus Heights resident went out of his home in the 6400 block of Denton Way about 7 a.m. Thursday and was confronted by and man. The two exchanged words and the unarmed resident was cut or stabbed with the knife on his face and body.

The suspect fled on foot with the victim giving chase. His pursuit was halted due to his injuries.

Citrus Heights Police Department will hold a DUI and drivers license checkpoint tonight, beginning at 7:30 p.m. and lasting until 3 a.m. Sunday.

The checkpoint location is not disclosed in advance.

Officers contact motorists passing through the checkpoint to look for signs of impaired driving.

Checkpoints are proven to reduce deaths from alcohol-related crashes, police said.

Newspapers in India are reporting that a woman who once attended American River College has been killed in that country by her fiancé.

Paimana Khanjar, 22, allegedly was stabbed to death by her fiancé at a residence in the Jungpura area south of Delhi last Saturday night. Her fiancé, Omid Milad Hussain Khill, has been taken into custody.

The young woman, said to be an American citizen of Afghan heritage, began attending American River College in 2008, last attending classes in 2011, college officials said. She also was on a wait-list for a class this spring.

Her fiancé was an Afghan who was studying in Russia. The two, reported to have been engaged for three years, met to talk things over in Delhi.

Police told the Hindustan Times that Khanjar was not interested in marrying Khill. Khill asked to meet her to discuss the matter.

The Times of India reported that Khill stabbed Khanjar and he was later arrested minutes before he was to board a flight to Kabul.

A driver whose car hit a tree on Madison Avenue near Sunrise Boulevard on Thursday afternoon has died.

Anthony Hernandez, 21, of Fair Oaks, was pronounced dead at a hospital four hours after the crash, according to the Sacramento County Coroner's office website.

Citrus Heights police officers were called to the 7000 block of westbound Madison Avenue about 1 p.m. regarding a single-vehicle crash. They found a red Acura Integra coupe with serious damage. Hernandez was the sole occupant.

Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District firefighters had to use heavy pry tools to remove the driver from the vehicle, police said. Hernandez was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Police said witnesses who observed the vehicle just before the crash reported that it was being driven recklessly, weaving in and out of traffic at speeds in excess of 75 mph. Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call the Citrus Heights Police Department, (916) 727-5500.

A driver was critically injured this afternoon after the vehicle he was driving slammed into a tree on Madison Avenue near Sunrise Boulevard.

Citrus Heights police officers were called to the 7000 block of westbound Madison Avenue about 1 p.m. regarding a single-vehicle crash. They found a red Acura Integra coupe with serious damage. The driver, a man in his 20s, was the sole occupant. Officers found him unconscious but breathing, according to a Police Department news release.

Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District firefighters had to use heavy pry tools to remove the driver from the vehicle, police said. The man was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.

The Sacramento County coroner's office today released the name of the suspected bank robber shot by Citrus Heights police.

He was identified as Jeffrey James Gonzales, 51, of Citrus Heights.

Police said that Gonzalez claimed to have an explosive device when he held up the bank Wednesday afternoon.

Police said that at about 4:15 p.m., police received a call of a crime in progress at Union Bank, 5748 Sunrise Blvd. The robber claimed to have a gun and an explosive device.

Officers surrounded the bank before the man came out of the building. Feeling threatened, police fired at the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Because of the report of an explosive device, police cleared the area and called in the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department bomb squad. After 7 p.m., it was determined there wasn't an explosive device at the bank.

Police then began processing the scene and interviewing bank employees and customers.

A suspected bank robber who claimed to have an explosive device was fatally shot by police late Wednesday afternoon, Citrus Heights Police officials report.

Jon Kempf, Citrus Heights Police officer, provided these details:

About 4:15 p.m., police received a call of a burglary in progress at Union Bank, 5748 Sunrise Blvd. A man claimed to have a gun and an explosive device.

Officers surrounded the bank before the man came out of the building. Feeling threatened, police fired at the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Because of the report of an explosive device, police cleared the area and called in the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department bomb squad. After 7 p.m., it was determined there wasn't an explosive device at the bank. Police then began processing the scene and interviewing bank employees and customers.

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The intersection of Greenback Lane and Sunrise Boulevard has reopened to traffic after a crash closed several lanes this afternoon.

Officer Jon Kempf said the incident was a possible hit-and-run collision involving two vehicles. Only minor injuries were reported, and all the injured were treated at the scene. No one was taken to the hospital. Kempf said investigators are seeking the driver of a truck who may have witnessed the collision.

Northbound lanes on Sunrise and eastbound lanes on Greenback were closed to traffic about 3 p.m. All were reopened by 4:15 p.m.

Rio Linda Baptist Church Pastor Tommy Gene Daniels was sentenced to 158 years to life in prison today for molesting five little girls in a respite and child-care operation his family ran out of his Citrus Heights home.

In handing down the term to the 49-year-old Daniels, Sacramento Superior Court Judge Trena H. Burger-Plavan told the pastor he "took advantage of his position of trust and confidence with very young victims."

Daniels, exhibiting facial grimaces throughout the sentencing hearing, made no comment. He has continued to maintain his innocence. His attorney, Michael L. Chastaine, filed a motion for a new trial that the judge rejected. Chastaine said afterwards he intends to appeal the Dec. 8 verdict handed down by the Sacramento jury.

The five victims in the case were between the ages of 5 and 13 when Daniels touched them inappropriately while they were in his family's care in his Wapiti Place residence. The molestations took place in his house between December 2002 and August 2007.

One of Daniels' victims, who is now 12, began to read her victim's impact statement in the courtroom. She said the molestation "changed me forever." When the girl began to cry, her mother finished the statement where the young victim said she is "terrified of the dark" and has a recurring vision of a "blurred face with a creepy smile" where Daniels' "points at me as if to say, 'I'm coming for you.'"

"I've tried to forget what happened, but I have not been able to and probably will never be able to," the girl's statement said.

Photo caption: Tommy Lee Daniels listens as he is sentenced for the conviction of molesting five girls in his Citrus Heights home between 2003 and 2005 Sacramento, Calif. Photo by Jose Luis Villegas / jvillegas@sacbee.com

Citrus Heights officers working on a domestic violence call this morning say they were greeted by a shotgun blast that shattered a sliding glass door.

Police said that about 12:45 a.m. today they responded to meet a woman who was the victim of assault. She told them that her husband, Loren Fullmer, 43, assaulted her while they were inside their vehicle.

Police obtained an emergency protective order on behalf of the victim. At about 2:11 a.m. officers tried to contact Fullmer at his home in the 5800 block of Sunrise Vista Drive.

Officers knocked on the front door. At about the same time they allege Fullmer fired one shotgun round through the frame of a sliding glass door several feet away from the front door.

Officers ordered Fullmer to surrender, which he did several minutes later, according to a department press release.

Officers later confiscated a 12-guage shotgun and a spent casing from the home. Fullmer who police said was on probation for burglary, was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence and weapons violations.

PHOTO CAPTION: Loren Fullmer/Citrus Heights police

The Citrus Heights Police Department has won an award for community policing.

The department will be presented the 2012 James Q. Wilson Award for Excellence in Community Policing at a March 12 symposium in Sacramento.

The "Citrus Heights Model - Community Based Domestic Violence Intervention" took the top award from the Regional Community Policing Institute -- California, according to a press release.

The Wilson award judging is based on several factors: problem solving, partnership with the community, partnership with public and private organizations, the extent of community policing and results.

Citrus Heights police have arrested Nicholas Mangelli, 21, of Citrus Heights, in the killing of Michael Cole, 26.

Cole's body was discovered by a neighbor in a home in the vicinity of Auburn Boulevard and Halifax Street.

Cole lived in the 6000 block of Westbrook Drive.

Police arrived at the scene at about 11 a.m. Friday and found the victim, along with evidence that a violent struggle had occurred.

Citrus Heights police announced that they have detained a suspect in a homicide after a man was found dead in a residence this morning.

Just after 11 a.m., officers responded to a home in the area of Auburn Boulevard and Halifax Street after a neighbor found a man dead inside the home. Officers found signs that a violent struggle had occurred.

Detectives began a homicide investigation and, through witness statements, quickly identified a suspect, according to a Police Department news release.

A man suspected of committing numerous residential burglaries in Granite Bay over the past few months has been arrested.

Jason Earl Rogers (pictured), 30, of Citrus Heights, was booked into Placer County Jail today on suspicion of residential burglary and possession of stolen property. He was originally arrested by El Dorado County sheriff's detectives, who discovered a large amount of stolen property during a search of his home Feb. 2, according to a Placer County Sheriff's Office news release.

The El Dorado County detectives were looking for a a burglar who had kicked in the front doors of dozens of homes and stolen jewelry. Placer County detectives joined the search of Rogers' home and found property belonging to Granite Bay victims.

Because of the large number of cases in Placer County, Rogers was extradited today, officials said. He is being held on a no-bail parole hold.

Glen Davis was driving to work this morning when he saw the late-model four-door sedan lodged in the side of a tree on Sunrise Boulevard in Citrus Heights.

He said he almost kept driving to his job at the American River Fish Hatchery, since a couple had already stopped to help the occupants of the crashed car, apparent victims of a single-car accident.

Then he saw the woman passerby struggling to open the driver's door. He quickly pulled off the road to help.

Citrus Heights police arrested two people today in connection with the operation of an illegal marijuana dispensary.

The arrests of Steffany Vilas (pictured, left), 27, and Richard Garland (right), 55, followed a lengthy investigation involving unlawful sales of marijuana, according to a Citrus Heights Police Department news release.

Detectives served search warrants at the dispensary and two private residences in Granite Bay and Roseville early this morning. During the investigation, they discovered evidence that indicated Vilas and Garland were profiting from the criminal sale of marijuana, according to the news release.

One person has suffered injuries in a fire at a Citrus Heights residence.

Assistant Chief Scott Cockrum of the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District said firefighters responded to a home at 6564 Greencreek Way shortly before 9 p.m. It was initially reported as a garage fire but appears to have burned into the attic.

Cockrum said the injured person was being treated at the scene as firefighters worked to bring the fire under control.

A man already serving life without parole on one murder conviction pleaded guilty Tuesday to another murder he had previously committed.

Langimaa Faulolo, 29, entered his plea in Sacramento Superior Court in the Jan. 11, 2004, attempted drug robbery stabbing death of 17-year-old Eddie Heydaragha in Citrus Heights. Faulolo is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 15 by Judge Marjorie Koller.

A second defendant, Benjamin Philmath Taholo, 33, last year pleaded no contest to manslaughter charges and was sentenced to six more years in state prison -- on top of the life term with no chance of parole he also was serving already.

Faulolo and Taholo both were convicted in 2007 in the robbery murder of Danny Johnson, 21. The Johnson killing took place about three months before Heydaragha was slain.

Two men who died in a head-on crash in Folsom on Saturday night have been identified by the Sacramento County Coroner's Office as Christopher Stephen Martell, 37, and Robert Todd Ohlander, 32, both of Citrus Heights.

The men were northbound on Folsom Boulevard in a Saturn about 6:45 p.m. when a southbound sport utility vehicle, driven by Michael Sharp of Folsom, crossed the center line into the northbound lane, hitting the Saturn head-on near Parkshore Drive, according to the Folsom Police Department.

Emergency personnel declared Martell and Ohlander dead at the scene. Another person in their vehicle was taken to a local hospital with what were described as non-lethal injuries.

Sharp was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. He was initially hospitalized due to his injuries but was booked into Sacramento County Jail on Sunday night. Bail is set at $2 million.

By Phillip Reese

preese@sacbee.com

Sacramento County law enforcement officials arrested nearly 70 motorists for allegedly driving while intoxicated on New Year's Eve and early New Year's Day. That's a typical haul on one of the busiest party nights of the year. The heaviest concentration of arrests this year were in downtown Sacramento and South Sacramento.

Read more here.

The Sacramento County District Attorney's office has received grants totaling $1.37 million to fight drug-impaired driving.

"These grants will enable us to prosecute drug-related driving offenses with the same level of expertise and success as alcohol-related DUI cases," said District Attorney Jan Scully.

Funding includes:

-- $435,000 to buy an instrument for the crime lab to test for drugs such as Xanax, Valium, Ambien and marijuana in drug-impaired driving cases. Funding also includes a portable breath testing instrument and employee overtime costs for crime lab staff to help at DUI checkpoints.

-- $935,000 to expand a program that prosecutes DUIs that result in death or serious injury. With the additional funding, the unit will expand to include drug-impaired driving cases.

The two grants come from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A DA press release said that a recent study showed that 23 percent of all fatally injured drivers tested positive for drugs.

The California Highway Patrol is advising motorists of congestion and delays on eastbound Interstate 80 due to a collision east of Madison Avenue.

Only the left two lanes are open. Counter tiling in 4-inch pieces is scattered over the roadway and lanes will not reopen until the debris is cleared, according to the CHP website.

Motorists are advised to use other routes.

An alert Citrus Heights police officer arrested a man after first running a check on a model of car that is often stolen.

The officer was on patrol near Antelope Road and Lauppe Lane this morning when he noticed a 2000 Honda Civic, one of the top cars stolen by thieves. The Honda was stolen Christmas Day from its owner in Dixon.

When Citrus Heights officers tried to stop the Honda, the driver attempted to flee, according to a department press release. After a short pursuit, the driver stopped near Auburn Boulevard and Sylvan Road.

There, the driver, Chadwick Heath Greylock, 32, a wanted parolee at large, was taken into custody. Police said they found car theft tools inside the Honda.

The release of Nike's new Air Jordan basketball shoes wreaked havoc on malls across the country this morning - but Sacramento shoppers appear to have been more civil.

Thousands of shoppers lined up outside malls across the region for the latest release of the shoes, which have a cult following. As many as 2,000 people showed up at Arden Fair mall alone.

However, no major problems were reported at Downtown Plaza, Arden Fair or Sunrise Mall, according to police.

At Sunrise Mall in particular, the only real disturbance involved some raised voices from shoppers disgruntled by a lack of supply, police said.

PHOTO CREDIT: The Indianapolis Star/Danese Kenon

Fifty-seven people were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs during the first 48 hours of a holiday campaign to keep impaired drivers off the road in Sacramento County, authorities said today.

The number of arrests carried out by 17 agencies in the county was down modestly from the same period in 2011, when 60 people were taken into custody, the Citrus Heights Police Department reported today. This year's campaign started Friday at 12:01 a.m.

The campaign, known as "Avoid the Capital 17 DUI," is an annual effort by local law enforcement agencies to keep roadways safe for 17 days through the holidays. The campaign ends at midnight, Jan. 1, 2012.

Citrus Heights police are looking for the driver of a stolen vehicle that crashed after leading an officer on a chase early this morning.

Police officers have been conducting targeted patrols in the area of Westboork and Halifax streets in an effort to locate criminals responsible for recent automobile thefts and other vehicle-related thefts in the neighborhood, according to a Police Department news release.

About 2:20 this morning, an officer patrolling in the neighborhood noticed that a lone vehicle that passed him in the opposite direction was traveling at a very slow speed. When the officer turned around to investigate, the vehicle, a stolen 1997 Honda Accord, was driven away at a high speed in an apparent attempt evade the officer.

A pursuit, covering less than a mile, ended when the Honda struck a fire hydrant near Halifax and Auburn Boulevard. The driver, the only occupant of the vehicle, ran from the scene.

By Andy Furillo

afurillo@sacbee.com

A Sacramento Superior Court jury today convicted Rio LInda First Baptist Church pastor Tommy Gene Daniels of molesting five girls in his Citrus Heights home.

The jury found Daniels, 49, guilty on 11 of the 12 counts filed against him.

"I'm happy for the girls," said Deputy District Attorney Kimberly Macy. "I thought there was definitely evidence there" supporting the verdicts, she said.

Judge Trene H. Burger-Plavan scheduled Daniels' sentencing for Jan. 13. Macy said Daniels is facing a life term.

Defense attorney Michael L. Chastaine said he was disappointed with the verdict and that he plans to appeal.

A Citrus Heights man has been sentenced to 42 months in prison for possession of child pornography.

Nicholas Van Brocklin Trahan, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. Trahan pleaded guilty to the charge in April.

According to the plea agreement, during August and September 2008, and in January 2009, law enforcement agents observed Trahan's computer offering child pornography for download through a common file-sharing network. Based on this information, a federal search warrant was obtained for Trahan's residence and executed Feb. 11, 2009.

A prosecutor told a Sacramento Superior Court jury today that a pastor accused of 12 counts of child molestation turned his Citrus Heights home "into a house of horror for five little girls" and that "it's time to put a stop to that."

"It's time to hold this defendant responsible," Deputy District Attorney Kimberly Macy said in her closing argument in the trial of Rio Linda First Baptist Church pastor Tommy Gene Daniels. "It's time for you to find him guilty."

Defense attorney Michael L. Chastaine countered in his closing argument that his client is innocent of all the charges.

"Tom Daniels is an innocent man who sits in the worst chair in the entire planet, accused of something he didn't do," Chastaine said.

At the conclusion of the closing arguments, Judge Trena H. Burger-Plavan sent the jury out to begin its deliberations.

The adopted daughter of Tommy Gene Daniels reluctantly testified today that her father had disappeared down a hallway for 15 to 20 minutes on the afternoon the pastor was accused of molesting a 5-year-old girl in his Citrus Heights home.

Deputy District Attorney Kimberly Macy got the 22-year-old witness to admit on cross-examination that she told police Daniels had slipped out of the living room of his home for that time period on the afternoon that prosecutors charge he molested the girl.

Daniels' daughter testified she believes the statement she gave to police a month after the alleged July 5, 2005, molestation was inaccurate.

"I believe it was five to 10 minutes," the woman who was 15 years old at the time of the alleged molestation told a Sacramento Superior Court jury on Tuesday. "He said he was going to the bathroom...Now that I'm older I remember things better."

Macy continued to confront the woman with the report written by Citrus Heights police after her August 2005 interview, which prompted the witness finally to say, "It could have been 15 to 20 minutes."

The time frame is crucial to corroborating the previous trial testimony of the alleged victim, who is now 12. The girl testified on the first day of trial that she had been sleeping in a rear bedroom off the hallway when she was molested and that the intruder whom she identified as Daniels came in and molested her twice.

Daniels testified last week that he did open the door to the bedroom but only to let a cat inside.

The pastor of the First Baptist Church of Rio Linda, Daniels, 49, is accused on 12 counts of of molesting five girls in his home on Wapiti Place in Citrus Heights between 2003 and 2005. His attorney, Michael L. Chastaine, is expected to conclude his defense as early as Tuesday.

By Andy Furillo

afurillo@sacbee.com

A pastor accused of child molestation took the witness stand in his own defense and denied that he ever sexually abused any kids.

"No, absolutely not," Tommy Gene Daniels replied when asked by his attorney if any of the allegations are true that five children lodged against him in Sacramento Superior Court over the past two weeks.

Daniels, 49, the pastor of the Rio Linda First Baptist Church, testified only 10 minutes under direct questioning from defense lawyer Michael L. Chastaine.

The defense lawyer asked for details on one girl's story, a 12-year-old who testified that she was molested July 5, 2005, while she slept in a bedroom in the Daniels home in Citrus Heights were she had been in day care. The girl testified she fell asleep on the living room floor, was carried to a bedroom and that a man she identified in court as Daniels came in and touched her vagina.

The wife of the Rio Linda pastor accused of child molestation told a Sacramento Superior Court jury today that she believes her husband is innocent.

Brenda Daniels testified that if she thought her husband Tom had molested any children, "I'd take the kids out of the house and I'd call police, because it's not OK."

Tom Daniels, 49, is facing 12 counts involving five children in incidents that prosecutors say took place in 2003 to 2005 in a day care/foster care home his wife ran in Citrus Heights.

Under questioning from defense attorney Michael L. Chastaine, Brenda Daniels said one of the alleged victims reported an accusation about her husband to her. Daniels, a "mandatory reporter" who is required to forward such allegations to police, said she didn't because "I didn't believe her."

When Deputy District Attorney Kimberly Macy pressed Daniels on her failure to report the allegations, the witness said, "I've known Tom since I was 13-years-old. He never showed any signs of being a molester."

The trial recessed at the noon break until Tuesday. Brenda Daniels is scheduled to resume her testimony then.

A 12-year-old girl testified today that Rio Linda Baptist preacher Tommy Gene Daniels molested her six years ago at his Citrus Heights home that also served as his wife's day care center.

The girl said she was taking a nap in a bedroom at the Daniels' residence when "Tom...tried to wake me up by touching me inappropriately."

She is one of five victims prosecutors intend to bring to the stand in the trial against Daniels, 49, the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Rio Linda.

The Sacramento District Attorney's Office dismissed murder charges today against one of two defendants in the Feb. 8, 2010, sex killing of a 17-year-old girl in Van Maren Park in Citrus Heights.

Tyler Espinoza, now 19, had been accused along with co-defendant Anton Adolf Johnson, 20, in the beating death of Rebecca Renee Layson. Johnson still faces charges in the case. His preliminary hearing is scheduled to continue Tuesday in Sacramento Superior Court.

A D.A.'s press release said Espinoza, who was Layson's boyfriend, had initially made "several incriminating statements" when he spoke with investigators. Authorities later confirmed he was "highly intoxicated" the night of the killing, had blacked out and "just started filling in the facts and lying to detectives," the press release said.

Fire investigators say they can't rule out that a water heater was the cause of the fire at two Citrus Heights busineses on Monday.

The water heater, located in a storage area at the back of the building, could not be eliminated as the cause of the fire that heavily damaged a Tuesday Morning store and the Hoss Lee Salon Academy.

Additional scientific testing needs to be completed to tie down the exact cause. An estimated $2 million in damage was sustained to building and contents.

By Cathy Locke and Hudson Sangree
clocke@sacbee.com

Several hours after fire erupted at a Tuesday Morning store in Citrus Heights -- sending up a huge plume of black smoke that could be seen across the region -- firefighters poured thousands of gallons of water on the store's smoldering remains.

At one point late Monday afternoon, the dramatic orange flames and billowing smoke attracted dozens of spectators to the busy Citrus Heights shopping area during the evening commute.

The fire - near Sunrise Boulevard and Greenback Lane - started at about 4:15 p.m., when two clerks and six customers were in the outlet store, fire officials said. All managed to get out and were unharmed, they said. Authorities said the cause of the fire was under investigation.

By Mark Glover
mglover@sacbee.com

Local, state and overseas firefighters will participate in a training session/demonstration Sunday in Citrus Heights, a precursor to an international competition.

The session, open to the public, is set for 10 a.m. at Fire Station 21 at 7641 Greenback Lane. It is expected to last two hours.

Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District Battalion Chief Walt White, firefighters from the Hayward Fire Department and members of the New Zealand Fire Service are preparing for the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge championships to be held Nov. 18 in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Citrus Heights police and city officials are accepting referrals for their annual holiday charity effort for needy families.

Referral forms can be found at the front counter of the Citrus Heights Police Department, 6315 Fountain Square Drive, or online at www.citrusheightspd.net. Completed referrals should be dropped off at the front counter or mailed. Applications will be accepted until Monday, Nov. 14.

Program organizers hope to "adopt" 100 families for the program.

The annual program is a joint effort between Citrus Heights police and the city that provides food, household items and toys and clothes for children. Partners include local service clubs, schools, neighborhoods, businesses and community members.

Anyone interested in "adopting" a family, donating items or who has questions about the program should email Cassandra Roesser at croesser@citrusheights.net or call (916) 727-5561.

A preliminary hearing got under way today in the February 2010 killing of Rebecca Renee Layson in Citrus Heights' Van Maren Park.

Prosecutors have charged Anton Adolph Johnson Jr., now 20, and Tyler Shawn Espinoza, 19, with murder and sexual assault in the death of the 17-year-old girl.

Layson's family identified Espinoza in the days after the killing as the girl's boyfriend.

Two men were arrested for burglary of a cell phone business this morning in Citrus Heights.

Timofey Dalekorey and Angel Sanchez, both 20-year-old Rancho Cordova residents, were arrested on suspicion of burglary and possession of stolen property, police said.

Citrus Heights police were brought to a business in the 7200 block of Greenback Lane shortly before 1 a.m. today by a tripped burglar alarm. Officers saw that a window was broken and conducted a search.

The Sacramento Police Department seeks the community's help locating a suspect in the fatal shooting March 8 of Mark Colquitt.

Police responded about 5:45 a.m. that day to reports of gunshots near 21st Avenue and Franklin Boulevard. They found Colquitt, 48, who had been shot. He was transported to an area hospital where he died of his injuries.

Detectives have identified Augustine Aranda, 28, as the suspect in the shooting, according to a Police Department news release. He is described as Hispanic, 5 feet, 7 inches tall, weighing 220 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.