Suspect with knife and knife on March 11, 2021. Photos: Danville PD
By Danville Police Department
The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff and the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office are continuing to investigate an officer involved shooting that occurred in Danville.
Thursday morning, March 11 at about 11:48, police dispatch received several calls from motorists regarding a person who was throwing rocks off the Sycamore Valley Road overpass onto Interstate 680.
A Danville Police Officer arrived at the scene and contacted the subject in question in the area of Sycamore Valley Road and Camino Ramon. The officer approached the subject who was standing on the street. As the officer tried to talk to him, the subject pulled out a folding knife and then opened it. The officer ordered him to drop the knife several times. He then advanced toward the officer, who discharged his weapon striking the subject once.
The fire department and an ambulance were called and responded to the scene. The subject was taken to a local hospital where he is being treated at this time. He is not being identified.
The investigation is ongoing per the countywide officer involved protocol. Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Investigation Division through dispatch at (925) 646-2441 or at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
Read MoreBy CHP – Contra Costa
Thursday morning, March 11 at about 4:54 am, Contra Costa CHP was advised of a solo vehicle crash on Hwy-24 westbound, at the Wilder Road offramp. Upon emergency personnel and CHP arrival, it was determined that a solo red Ford Ranger had been driven off the roadway of the offramp, overturned and the roof of the Ford slammed into a metal light pole. The Ford sustained major damage and its roof was crushed.
Tragically the driver, a 60-year-old male from Brentwood and sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased by medical personnel on the scene. The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Office will be handling the release of his identity.
Alcohol or drugs do not appear to be a factor in this collision but, it is still under investigation. If anyone witnessed this collision or the events leading up to it, please contact Contra Costa CHP in Martinez, (925) 646-4980.
Read MoreLaw Enforcement Involved Fatal Incident Protocol invoked
By Richmond Police Department
At around 10:35 a.m., Wednesday morning, March 10, 2021, the Richmond PD Communications Center received a 911 call from a business owner in the 12600 block of San Pablo Avenue, advising of an individual who was creating a disturbance inside the business and damaging property. When officers arrived, they found the 47-year-old man stumbling around. He had fallen to the ground. The man appeared to be in medical distress or under the influence of drugs. Officers tried to calm the man and provided medical assistance to him until the paramedics arrived.
Officers placed him in a prone position while one officer placed his knee on the individual’s lower back to handcuff him. The man was placed on a gurney and taken to the hospital. Unfortunately, despite all lifesaving measures the man passed away.
Due to the circumstances, the county-wide Law Enforcement Involved Fatal Incident Protocol was invoked. That means that members of the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office are currently conducting an independent investigation of this incident.
The Contra Costa County Coroner’s Office identified the man as 47-year-old Ivan Gutzalenko. According to two internet searches, he was a resident of Bay Point. According to a BART news report, on Jan. 13, 2006, authorities arrested Gutzalenko, then 32 years old, “in Walnut Creek for possession of four destructive devices and several illegal firearms including three fully automatic assault rifles” with the help of “one of BART’s bomb sniffing dog teams.”
Any person who may have any information related to this incident is asked to please contact Homicide Detective Savannah Stewart at (510) 620-6541, email her at sstewart@richmondpd.net or they can contact Richmond’s anonymous tip line at (510) 307-T1PS (8177).
Allen Payton contributed to this report.
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Source: CA COVID website.
Supervisors ink negotiating agreement with Pacific West Communities for Bay Point Orbisonia Heights mixed use development; Extend temporary industrial hemp cultivation moratorium to Sept. 30
By Daniel Borsuk
By next Wednesday, Contra Costa County residents can expect the county to graduate from the Purple Tier to the less restrictive Red Tier, Contra Costa County Public Health Officer Dr. Christopher Farnitano announced Tuesday as the daily cases per 100,000 cases continues to decline to 7.9 cases a day.
The red tier designation means businesses and gyms can reopen at 25 percent capacity and retail businesses can reopen at 50 percent capacity. Schools are also reopening with COVID-19 health precautions in place for students and on-site staff.
When Contra Costa County does graduate to the red tier next week, it along with Sonoma County will be the final two Bay Area counties to move into the less restrictive tier.
Dr. Farnitano delivered the upbeat report at the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday.
Progress is also materializing as more Contra Costa County residents from all economic and racial groups roll up their sleeves to be inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines. About 370,000 county residents have been vaccinated with either the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, said Contra Costa County Health Director Anna Roth.
As for last week’s development where the state designated health giant Blue Cross to manage the state’s COVID-19 vaccination appointment system, Dr. Farnitano said. “We are still working with Blue Shield during the transition.”
Orbisinio project site in Bay Point. Photo by Daniel Borsuk
Approve Bay Point Property Exclusive Negotiating Agreement
After years of neglect and bumps in the economy, the county might be taking another stab at trying to nail down an exclusive negotiating development agreement to finally get a 7.7-acre of county-owned property on Bailey Road to the west, State Highway 4 to the north and West Leland Road to the south, developed.
Supervisors voted 5-0 to approve the exclusive negotiating agreement that was a consent agenda item at Tuesday’s supervisors’ meeting.
The vacant property is near the Bay Point-Pittsburg BART Station, the Oak Hills Shopping Center on Bailey Road and Ambrose Park to the East. The proposed development is commonly known as the Orbisonia Heights project in Bay Point.
In 2009 the county failed to develop the property when the real estate market collapsed, said Maureen Toms, deputy director of policy planning division of the Contra Costa Conservation and Development Department (CCCDD).
Supervisors designated the CCCDD Director John Kopchick. or his representative. to negotiate and execute an exclusive negotiating agreement with well-known multi-family housing developer Pacific West Communities of Eagle, ID for the potential development of a at least 325 multiple family residences and 40,000 square feet of commercial space.
At least 15 percent of the residential units would be affordable housing, Maureen Toms, CCCDD deputy director of policy, told the Contra Costa Herald in an email.
“There were delays due to the poor economy and the elimination of redevelopment. We have been working with Pacific West Communities to develop the property,” Toms wrote in the email.
Planners have visions of developing four-story structures over parking with 15 percent of the residential units designated as affordable housing.
“It has been a long time coming,” said District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg, who is reservedly excited about the potential of getting the Orbisonia Heights development finally up and running. “We’re at that point to get the development underway because it is near BART, shopping, and Ambrose Park.”
Glover envisions the possibility that other services could be included in Orbisonia Heights project such as a library and retail.
A representative for Pacific West Communities was unavailable for comment.
Supervisors Extend Temporary Industrial Hemp Cultivation Moratorium to September 30
Even though District 3 Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill initially pushed for a June deadline on extending an urgency ordinance extending a moratorium on Industrial Hemp cultivation in East Contra Costa County, Mitchoff eventually relented and agreed with colleagues and CCCDD Director Kopchik to set a deadline of September 30.
The supervisors’ action marks the third urgency interim ordinance that the supervisors have set in order to accommodate county officials in developing new regulations that accurately balances the sensitive commercial and agricultural activities of hemp interests versus homeowners land value and safety interests.
Supervisors have heard complaints from East County homeowners about criminal and traffic impacts stemming from hemp growing operators while hemp growers have defended their thriving businesses as being safe and economically solid sources of income for local residents.
At one point, District 3 Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill wanted to curtail the timeline for CCCDD staff and Agriculture Commissioner Weights & Measures Director Matt Slattengren to draft a new county hemp ordinance by setting a July 30 deadline. But CCCD Director Kopchik was able to convince Mitchoff and other supervisors that due to work assignments, a September 30 deadline would be more realistic.
Making it difficult for county officials to draft new regulations on hemp cultivation is the fact there is little if anything on the books that regulates the rising hemp industry in California. The urgency ordinance makes this obviously clear stating: “Under state law, industrial hemp is not subject to the same regulatory provisions as cannabis. Health and Safety Code section 11018.5(b) exempts industrial hemp from regulation under Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act. As a result, the county’s cannabis regulation ordinance, Chapter 88-28 of the County Code, does not regulate the cultivation of industrial hemp within the unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County.”
At least this observer thinks, it appears county officials are left hanging in limbo on this hemp issue. It will be interesting to see what Kopchick and Slattengren are able to concoct in ensuing months.
Dentist-Engineer Dr. Jack Rosenfeld Recognized for 30 years of Service
Supervisors recognized Dr. Jack Rosenfeld, who retired after 30 years of service with Contra Costa Health Services as a dentist. “Dr. Rosenfeld has worked at various clinics throughout West, Central and East Contra Costa County, providing a wide array of dental services to the community,” the board of supervisors’ resolution stated about the dentist.
His specialty was practicing dentistry in underserved populations at several community clinics and Native American reservations throughout California.
Before studying dentistry at UCSF School of Dentistry, Dr. Rosenfeld was an electrical engineer. Dr. Rosenfeld used his electrical engineering training to develop a dental safety device that is still in production.
Supervisors Recognize American Red Cross Month
With March being American Red Cross Month, supervisors acknowledged the organization’s 140- year mission of preventing and alleviating suffering by noting that in 2020 in Contra Costa County, 115 families affected by home fires relied on the American Red Cross volunteers for aid.
Contra Costa County residents donated 17,350 units of blood, the resolution stated. The resolution also noted that the American Red Cross hosted 142 blood drives, 3,459 local community members took classes to learn skills that save lives, and 719 military members and their families received support and services.
“Nearly 200 years since the birth of American Red Cross founder Clara Barton, we dedicate this month of March to all those who continue to advance her noble legacy, and we ask others to join in their commitment to care for people in need,” the resolution stated.
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Source: CCCSheriff.
Has history of arrests dating back to 2014
By Scott Alonso, Public Information Officer, Office of the District Attorney Contra Costa County
Yesterday, Wednesday, March 10, 2021, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office filed five counts against Rashad Chavez Yarbrough (30-year-old Pittsburg resident), including a felony count for the attempted kidnapping on March 6 of a female. The case was investigated by the BART Police Department and presented to our office for a filing decision on March 10.
On March 6, the victim called for an Uber ride to go to the Pittsburg Bay Point BART station. When she left her residence, she spoke with the defendant who offered her a ride to the station. She declined the offer, yet the defendant followed her Uber ride to the station. The victim did not know the defendant, nor had she seen him before.
Once the victim’s Uber ride dropped her off at the BART station, the defendant followed her down an access road. The defendant tried to entice the victim to enter his car, but she refused. Yarbrough eventually got out of his car and approached the victim. He grabbed at her arm and tried to get her into his vehicle. In doing so, her wallet fell out of her purse and he picked up her wallet.
The victim ended up fleeing the area to a nearby shopping center. After the police were called to the scene, the defendant fled the area in his vehicle. The following day, when police went to check in on the victim, the defendant arrived at her residence and he was arrested. A search of his vehicle revealed a firearm and methamphetamine.
The complete counts filed against Yarbrough are as follows:
- Attempted Kidnapping, Felony
- Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, Felony
- Petty Theft, Misdemeanor
- Possession of Controlled Substance, Methamphetamine, Misdemeanor
- Possession of a Smoking Device, Misdemeanor
Case information: People v. Rashad Chavez Yarbrough, Docket Number 04-201433-0
According to localcrimenews.com Yarbrough has a history of arrests dating back to 2014, by various agencies including Pittsburg PD, Antioch PD, Concord PD, Fremont PD and Oakland PD, for burglary, resisting arrest, possession of drug paraphernalia and grand theft.
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By Danville Police Department
At approximately 3:20 pm, Danville Police were called to the 700 block of Everett Drive near intersection with Paraiso on a report of an individual threatening suicide. A subject had barricaded themself in their vehicle and refused to leave, threatening to have a firearm.
Police cleared the area of Everett Drive. Residents in the area were asked to stay inside and motorists were asked to avoid the area.
Officers from Danville PD, San Ramon PD, and the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office set up a perimeter around the area and began talking with the subject in order to resolve the situation safely.
Shortly after 7 p.m., the subject voluntarily left their vehicle and surrendered to police custody. They have been taken in for a mental health evaluation. No firearm was found at the scene.
See video of the scene in the report by KPIX5 CBS.
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Read MoreIn coordination with An Elderly Wish Foundation
Please join in this free drive-through mobile shredding event at TreVista in Antioch at 3950 Lone Tree Way or TreVista in Concord at 1081 Mohr Lane on Saturday, March 27, 2021 – 10:00 am to 2:00 pm!
Freewill tax-deductible donations will be accepted for An Elderly Wish Foundation a non-profit granting wishes to seniors in Contra Costa County. Our website is www.elderlywish.org.
Thanks to Tamsen and Anne of TreVista for their support!!
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Rocky Lee Music. Photo: Alameda County Sheriff’s Office
Also arrested for hurting police K9 and resisting arrest
By U.S. Attorney’s Office – Northern California
OAKLAND – Rocky Lee Music was sentenced to five years in prison for carjacking, announced Acting United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig D. Fair. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, U.S. District Judge.
Music, 33, with a last known address in Walnut Creek, pleaded guilty to the carjacking charge today, Tuesday, March 9, 2021 and was sentenced at the same hearing. According to his plea agreement, Music admitted that on April 19, 2020, he violently carjacked a Prius parked in the 5200 block of Campus Drive of Dublin, CA.
To carjack the vehicle, Music opened the driver’s door, punched the male victim seated in the driver’s seat, pulled the victim out of the Prius while continuing to punch him on the head, and forced his way into the driver’s seat. Music drove away in the Prius while the victim hung onto the driver’s side door. According to the plea agreement, the carjacking occurred approximately 40 minutes after Music was granted pretrial release from Santa Rita Jail, where he had been held while awaiting prosecution by Alameda County authorities on other charges, just one mile away.
After carjacking the Prius, Music drove to San Ramon, where he later approached a female victim seated in the driver’s seat of a parked vehicle. The female driver drove away. Music was apprehended later that same day in San Ramon, and he has remained in custody since his arrest.
A federal grand jury indicted Music on June 16, 2020, charging him with one count of carjacking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2119(1). Music pleaded guilty to the count.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Gonzalez Rogers sentenced Music to a three-year period of supervised release. The defendant will begin serving the sentence immediately.
According to localcrimenews.com, Music was also arrested for hurting a police K9 and resisting arrest.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan U. Lee is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kay Konopaske and Kathleen Turner. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, the Dublin Police Department, and the San Ramon Police Department.
Allen Payton contributed to this report.
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Introduces three bills
Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (D, CA-11) announced, Monday, his effort to create a model that will help transition our economy away from petroleum products to cleaner, renewable energy while simultaneously supporting workers, communities, and state and local governments. The model will also create more investments in our transportation system, developing an inter-connected, world-class public transportation network and creating jobs. The coronavirus pandemic has expedited our transition away” from petroleum products which increases the urgency of a planned and serious effort to make sure we shape this transition in a way that works for everyone. DeSaulnier’s model will allow local communities to join with workers, industry, environmental leaders, mayors, and other local elected officials to proactively plan for the transition away from the petroleum industry and support worker transition and training.
As part of this effort, Congressman DeSaulnier announced three bills that will address this transition. The first bill, the Protecting Workers for a Clean Future Act, addresses the imminent market evolution to renewable, clean energy by providing direct support to local communities to convene industry, the local petroleum products workforce whose jobs are at risk, environmental justice advocates, and environmental groups to make a plan to transition workers to meaningful, sustainable work. The market is inevitably moving to cheaper, more sustainable energy sources, and refinery workers across America will fall victim to joblessness if we do not act now.
The second bill, the Jobs for a Carbon Free Transportation System Act, takes a unique approach to addressing the intersection of three of the biggest challenges our nation faces: climate change, outdated infrastructure, and job insecurity. The bill prioritizes and invests in state-of-the-art transportation system reforms that would improve mobility and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by developing low-carbon, efficient, inter-connected, and smart transportation corridors all while creating good paying union jobs. With the inevitable transition away from petroleum products these improvements would have, it also supports workers to transition out of the petroleum products industry and into meaningful, more secure work.
The third bill, the Clean Corridors Act, would launch a federal program that would accelerate the expansion of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to help reverse climate change and modernize our country’s infrastructure. Specifically, the Clean Corridors Act, which the congressman also introduced in the 116th Congress, would direct $3 billion over the coming decade to construct and install infrastructure to support technologies like hydrogen fuel cell and electric battery-powered vehicles. With this legislation, we can help sustain the growth of the EV market, which means more jobs, a healthier Earth, and a strong economy.
“We’re seeing firsthand in Contra Costa that refineries are idling…and local governments are losing their tax base because of the decrease in…(oil) consumption during the pandemic. Failing to address the market shift will inevitably create a snowball effect including dramatic job loss and decreased local and county revenues, which in turn create drastically underfunded schools. The time is now…to shift toward more sustainable sources of energy, but they cannot leave thousands of workers jobless in their wake,” said DeSaulnier. “At home in Contra Costa and around the country, we have the opportunity to set the stage for green jobs that are both worthy of workers’ skills and help our nation in the much-needed fight against climate change. This effort can help make Contra Costa a model for the rest of the nation.”
In developing this effort, the congressman has held dozens of meetings with stakeholders over the past two years, including with local mayors, county supervisors, the Contra Costa County administrator, other elected officials, environmental justice advocates, environmental representatives, labor leaders, university researchers, and other thought leaders on the energy transition.
“I am proud to support Rep. DeSaulnier’s transition model that will support workers while also incentivizing the move toward clean energy,” said Congressman Mike Thompson (D, CA-5), who represents Martinez. “These three bills are a critical step forward in using renewable energy right here in our community while also ensuring that workers have the opportunity for retraining and job opportunities in new industries. I am proud that our region can be an example in this important step toward tackling climate change and paving the way forward for green jobs.”
“We welcome Congressman DeSaulnier’s bold effort since our county is on the front lines of the transition to cleaner energy,” said Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia, who represents West County in District 1. “Given the plans of two Contra Costa refineries to end crude oil production and convert to the world’s largest renewable fuels plants, we need to ensure our workers and local economy are not left behind and that residents in communities which bear the burden of pollution benefit from the transition to clean energy.”
“We welcome leadership and assistance from the federal government as we develop plans to help workers, bolster our economy, and support communities that have historically been the most impacted,” said Contra Costa County Administrator Monica Nino.
“As we transition to clean fuels and high-tech energy, it is a matter of equity and economic justice that we support the growth of high-paying jobs and industries to replace those which are being phased out,” said California Assemblyman Tim Grayson. “The green economy presents us the opportunity to not only protect our planet, but to also empower workers, particularly those within historically-marginalized communities, by investing in their training and education.”
“The future of work in the green economy cannot be a race to the bottom in terms of labor standards and not having a voice at work,” said Contra Costa Labor Council Executive Director Josh Anijar. “Contra Costa’s labor movement is encouraged by Congressmember DeSaulnier and all those who are committed toward the future by building the bridge between the green economy and working families.”
“The clean energy economy can work for everyone, providing good paying jobs for a just transition, giving all of us more options,” said Ann Notthoff, retired Natural Resources Defense Council California Advocacy Director.
“The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers has a history of being at the forefront of innovation related to clean, reliable energy.” said International Vice President for the Western States Section of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Tom Baca. “To that end, we continue to advocate for carbon capture, use and storage and other carbon capture technology as a solution – all while preserving and creating jobs, economic growth, and social stability.”
“Contra Costa County’s refineries are well aware of the energy future and work every day to help meet it. Local refineries have invested billions to upgrade their facilities as California leads the nation with ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets,” said President and CEO of the East Bay Leadership Council Kristin Connelly. “Without a doubt, the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted countless industries including the local energy sector. Protecting the thousands of high paying jobs created by these employers must be a top priority. The East Bay Leadership Council looks forward to working with Congressman DeSaulnier in facilitating industry’s engagement in this process.”
“Congressman DeSaulnier has clearly thought about the American workers and communities that will be impacted by this transition, and he is seeking solutions to ensure those workers and communities are supported as we move into a low-carbon future,” said Citizens’ Climate Lobby Executive Director Mark Reynolds.
Rep. DeSaulnier is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives Education and Labor Committee, Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, and Oversight and Reform Committee. He previously served as the Chair of the State Senate Transportation and Housing Committee and in the State Assembly as the first freshman in history to chair the Assembly Transportation Committee. He is also a former Concord City Councilmember, Mayor, County Supervisor, and member of the California Air Resources Board.
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CCCSheriff
Second arrest in a year
By Orinda Police Department
On Monday, March 1, 2021, at about 4:13 PM, an Orinda police officer conducting a walkthrough of a drugstore on Orinda Way was alerted by employees that a person was fleeing after stealing items. The officer chased the suspect on foot in an attempt to apprehend him. The suspect entered a vehicle in the parking lot. The officer tried to open the driver’s door. The suspect struck the officer with his vehicle before fleeing on westbound Highway 24. The officer suffered minor injuries.
Detectives from the Orinda Police Department and the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff were able to identify the suspect.
On Thursday, March 4, 2021, at about 8 PM the suspect was spotted in the City of Richmond. The suspect fled leading deputy sheriffs from the Sheriff’s Office J-Team on a pursuit on westbound Highway 80. The suspect vehicle became disabled on Adeline Street in Berkeley. He was arrested by deputies after a foot chase.
The suspect is identified as 28-year-old Delvente Murry of San Francisco. He is being held at the Martinez Detention Facility on the following charges: assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, felony evading, obstructing a peace officer, and probation violation.
Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to contact Sergeant S. Valkanoff of the Orinda Police Department at (925) 253-4217. For any tips, please email: orindatip@cityoforinda.org or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
According to localcrimenews.com, Murry was also arrested in Alameda by the Alameda County Sheriff on March 11, 2020 for the following counts: 148(A)(1) – Resist / Obstruct / Delay Peace Officer, 14601.1(A) – Drive While License Suspended, 20002(A) – Hit And Run Resulting In Property Damage, and 23103(A) – Reckless Driving-Public Street.
Allen Payton contributed to this report.
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Suspect with knife and knife on March 11, 2021. Photos: Danville PD
By Danville Police Department
The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff and the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office are continuing to investigate an officer involved shooting that occurred in Danville.
Thursday morning, March 11 at about 11:48, police dispatch received several calls from motorists regarding a person who was throwing rocks off the Sycamore Valley Road overpass onto Interstate 680.
A Danville Police Officer arrived at the scene and contacted the subject in question in the area of Sycamore Valley Road and Camino Ramon. The officer approached the subject who was standing on the street. As the officer tried to talk to him, the subject pulled out a folding knife and then opened it. The officer ordered him to drop the knife several times. He then advanced toward the officer, who discharged his weapon striking the subject once.
The fire department and an ambulance were called and responded to the scene. The subject was taken to a local hospital where he is being treated at this time. He is not being identified.
The investigation is ongoing per the countywide officer involved protocol. Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Investigation Division through dispatch at (925) 646-2441 or at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
Read MoreBy CHP – Contra Costa
Thursday morning, March 11 at about 4:54 am, Contra Costa CHP was advised of a solo vehicle crash on Hwy-24 westbound, at the Wilder Road offramp. Upon emergency personnel and CHP arrival, it was determined that a solo red Ford Ranger had been driven off the roadway of the offramp, overturned and the roof of the Ford slammed into a metal light pole. The Ford sustained major damage and its roof was crushed.
Tragically the driver, a 60-year-old male from Brentwood and sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased by medical personnel on the scene. The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Office will be handling the release of his identity.
Alcohol or drugs do not appear to be a factor in this collision but, it is still under investigation. If anyone witnessed this collision or the events leading up to it, please contact Contra Costa CHP in Martinez, (925) 646-4980.
Read MoreLaw Enforcement Involved Fatal Incident Protocol invoked
By Richmond Police Department
At around 10:35 a.m., Wednesday morning, March 10, 2021, the Richmond PD Communications Center received a 911 call from a business owner in the 12600 block of San Pablo Avenue, advising of an individual who was creating a disturbance inside the business and damaging property. When officers arrived, they found the 47-year-old man stumbling around. He had fallen to the ground. The man appeared to be in medical distress or under the influence of drugs. Officers tried to calm the man and provided medical assistance to him until the paramedics arrived.
Officers placed him in a prone position while one officer placed his knee on the individual’s lower back to handcuff him. The man was placed on a gurney and taken to the hospital. Unfortunately, despite all lifesaving measures the man passed away.
Due to the circumstances, the county-wide Law Enforcement Involved Fatal Incident Protocol was invoked. That means that members of the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office are currently conducting an independent investigation of this incident.
The Contra Costa County Coroner’s Office identified the man as 47-year-old Ivan Gutzalenko. According to two internet searches, he was a resident of Bay Point. According to a BART news report, on Jan. 13, 2006, authorities arrested Gutzalenko, then 32 years old, “in Walnut Creek for possession of four destructive devices and several illegal firearms including three fully automatic assault rifles” with the help of “one of BART’s bomb sniffing dog teams.”
Any person who may have any information related to this incident is asked to please contact Homicide Detective Savannah Stewart at (510) 620-6541, email her at sstewart@richmondpd.net or they can contact Richmond’s anonymous tip line at (510) 307-T1PS (8177).
Allen Payton contributed to this report.
Read MoreSource: CA COVID website.
Supervisors ink negotiating agreement with Pacific West Communities for Bay Point Orbisonia Heights mixed use development; Extend temporary industrial hemp cultivation moratorium to Sept. 30
By Daniel Borsuk
By next Wednesday, Contra Costa County residents can expect the county to graduate from the Purple Tier to the less restrictive Red Tier, Contra Costa County Public Health Officer Dr. Christopher Farnitano announced Tuesday as the daily cases per 100,000 cases continues to decline to 7.9 cases a day.
The red tier designation means businesses and gyms can reopen at 25 percent capacity and retail businesses can reopen at 50 percent capacity. Schools are also reopening with COVID-19 health precautions in place for students and on-site staff.
When Contra Costa County does graduate to the red tier next week, it along with Sonoma County will be the final two Bay Area counties to move into the less restrictive tier.
Dr. Farnitano delivered the upbeat report at the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday.
Progress is also materializing as more Contra Costa County residents from all economic and racial groups roll up their sleeves to be inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines. About 370,000 county residents have been vaccinated with either the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, said Contra Costa County Health Director Anna Roth.
As for last week’s development where the state designated health giant Blue Cross to manage the state’s COVID-19 vaccination appointment system, Dr. Farnitano said. “We are still working with Blue Shield during the transition.”
Orbisinio project site in Bay Point. Photo by Daniel Borsuk
Approve Bay Point Property Exclusive Negotiating Agreement
After years of neglect and bumps in the economy, the county might be taking another stab at trying to nail down an exclusive negotiating development agreement to finally get a 7.7-acre of county-owned property on Bailey Road to the west, State Highway 4 to the north and West Leland Road to the south, developed.
Supervisors voted 5-0 to approve the exclusive negotiating agreement that was a consent agenda item at Tuesday’s supervisors’ meeting.
The vacant property is near the Bay Point-Pittsburg BART Station, the Oak Hills Shopping Center on Bailey Road and Ambrose Park to the East. The proposed development is commonly known as the Orbisonia Heights project in Bay Point.
In 2009 the county failed to develop the property when the real estate market collapsed, said Maureen Toms, deputy director of policy planning division of the Contra Costa Conservation and Development Department (CCCDD).
Supervisors designated the CCCDD Director John Kopchick. or his representative. to negotiate and execute an exclusive negotiating agreement with well-known multi-family housing developer Pacific West Communities of Eagle, ID for the potential development of a at least 325 multiple family residences and 40,000 square feet of commercial space.
At least 15 percent of the residential units would be affordable housing, Maureen Toms, CCCDD deputy director of policy, told the Contra Costa Herald in an email.
“There were delays due to the poor economy and the elimination of redevelopment. We have been working with Pacific West Communities to develop the property,” Toms wrote in the email.
Planners have visions of developing four-story structures over parking with 15 percent of the residential units designated as affordable housing.
“It has been a long time coming,” said District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg, who is reservedly excited about the potential of getting the Orbisonia Heights development finally up and running. “We’re at that point to get the development underway because it is near BART, shopping, and Ambrose Park.”
Glover envisions the possibility that other services could be included in Orbisonia Heights project such as a library and retail.
A representative for Pacific West Communities was unavailable for comment.
Supervisors Extend Temporary Industrial Hemp Cultivation Moratorium to September 30
Even though District 3 Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill initially pushed for a June deadline on extending an urgency ordinance extending a moratorium on Industrial Hemp cultivation in East Contra Costa County, Mitchoff eventually relented and agreed with colleagues and CCCDD Director Kopchik to set a deadline of September 30.
The supervisors’ action marks the third urgency interim ordinance that the supervisors have set in order to accommodate county officials in developing new regulations that accurately balances the sensitive commercial and agricultural activities of hemp interests versus homeowners land value and safety interests.
Supervisors have heard complaints from East County homeowners about criminal and traffic impacts stemming from hemp growing operators while hemp growers have defended their thriving businesses as being safe and economically solid sources of income for local residents.
At one point, District 3 Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill wanted to curtail the timeline for CCCDD staff and Agriculture Commissioner Weights & Measures Director Matt Slattengren to draft a new county hemp ordinance by setting a July 30 deadline. But CCCD Director Kopchik was able to convince Mitchoff and other supervisors that due to work assignments, a September 30 deadline would be more realistic.
Making it difficult for county officials to draft new regulations on hemp cultivation is the fact there is little if anything on the books that regulates the rising hemp industry in California. The urgency ordinance makes this obviously clear stating: “Under state law, industrial hemp is not subject to the same regulatory provisions as cannabis. Health and Safety Code section 11018.5(b) exempts industrial hemp from regulation under Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act. As a result, the county’s cannabis regulation ordinance, Chapter 88-28 of the County Code, does not regulate the cultivation of industrial hemp within the unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County.”
At least this observer thinks, it appears county officials are left hanging in limbo on this hemp issue. It will be interesting to see what Kopchick and Slattengren are able to concoct in ensuing months.
Dentist-Engineer Dr. Jack Rosenfeld Recognized for 30 years of Service
Supervisors recognized Dr. Jack Rosenfeld, who retired after 30 years of service with Contra Costa Health Services as a dentist. “Dr. Rosenfeld has worked at various clinics throughout West, Central and East Contra Costa County, providing a wide array of dental services to the community,” the board of supervisors’ resolution stated about the dentist.
His specialty was practicing dentistry in underserved populations at several community clinics and Native American reservations throughout California.
Before studying dentistry at UCSF School of Dentistry, Dr. Rosenfeld was an electrical engineer. Dr. Rosenfeld used his electrical engineering training to develop a dental safety device that is still in production.
Supervisors Recognize American Red Cross Month
With March being American Red Cross Month, supervisors acknowledged the organization’s 140- year mission of preventing and alleviating suffering by noting that in 2020 in Contra Costa County, 115 families affected by home fires relied on the American Red Cross volunteers for aid.
Contra Costa County residents donated 17,350 units of blood, the resolution stated. The resolution also noted that the American Red Cross hosted 142 blood drives, 3,459 local community members took classes to learn skills that save lives, and 719 military members and their families received support and services.
“Nearly 200 years since the birth of American Red Cross founder Clara Barton, we dedicate this month of March to all those who continue to advance her noble legacy, and we ask others to join in their commitment to care for people in need,” the resolution stated.
Read MoreSource: CCCSheriff.
Has history of arrests dating back to 2014
By Scott Alonso, Public Information Officer, Office of the District Attorney Contra Costa County
Yesterday, Wednesday, March 10, 2021, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office filed five counts against Rashad Chavez Yarbrough (30-year-old Pittsburg resident), including a felony count for the attempted kidnapping on March 6 of a female. The case was investigated by the BART Police Department and presented to our office for a filing decision on March 10.
On March 6, the victim called for an Uber ride to go to the Pittsburg Bay Point BART station. When she left her residence, she spoke with the defendant who offered her a ride to the station. She declined the offer, yet the defendant followed her Uber ride to the station. The victim did not know the defendant, nor had she seen him before.
Once the victim’s Uber ride dropped her off at the BART station, the defendant followed her down an access road. The defendant tried to entice the victim to enter his car, but she refused. Yarbrough eventually got out of his car and approached the victim. He grabbed at her arm and tried to get her into his vehicle. In doing so, her wallet fell out of her purse and he picked up her wallet.
The victim ended up fleeing the area to a nearby shopping center. After the police were called to the scene, the defendant fled the area in his vehicle. The following day, when police went to check in on the victim, the defendant arrived at her residence and he was arrested. A search of his vehicle revealed a firearm and methamphetamine.
The complete counts filed against Yarbrough are as follows:
- Attempted Kidnapping, Felony
- Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, Felony
- Petty Theft, Misdemeanor
- Possession of Controlled Substance, Methamphetamine, Misdemeanor
- Possession of a Smoking Device, Misdemeanor
Case information: People v. Rashad Chavez Yarbrough, Docket Number 04-201433-0
According to localcrimenews.com Yarbrough has a history of arrests dating back to 2014, by various agencies including Pittsburg PD, Antioch PD, Concord PD, Fremont PD and Oakland PD, for burglary, resisting arrest, possession of drug paraphernalia and grand theft.
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By Danville Police Department
At approximately 3:20 pm, Danville Police were called to the 700 block of Everett Drive near intersection with Paraiso on a report of an individual threatening suicide. A subject had barricaded themself in their vehicle and refused to leave, threatening to have a firearm.
Police cleared the area of Everett Drive. Residents in the area were asked to stay inside and motorists were asked to avoid the area.
Officers from Danville PD, San Ramon PD, and the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office set up a perimeter around the area and began talking with the subject in order to resolve the situation safely.
Shortly after 7 p.m., the subject voluntarily left their vehicle and surrendered to police custody. They have been taken in for a mental health evaluation. No firearm was found at the scene.
See video of the scene in the report by KPIX5 CBS.
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Read MoreIn coordination with An Elderly Wish Foundation
Please join in this free drive-through mobile shredding event at TreVista in Antioch at 3950 Lone Tree Way or TreVista in Concord at 1081 Mohr Lane on Saturday, March 27, 2021 – 10:00 am to 2:00 pm!
Freewill tax-deductible donations will be accepted for An Elderly Wish Foundation a non-profit granting wishes to seniors in Contra Costa County. Our website is www.elderlywish.org.
Thanks to Tamsen and Anne of TreVista for their support!!
Read MoreRocky Lee Music. Photo: Alameda County Sheriff’s Office
Also arrested for hurting police K9 and resisting arrest
By U.S. Attorney’s Office – Northern California
OAKLAND – Rocky Lee Music was sentenced to five years in prison for carjacking, announced Acting United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig D. Fair. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, U.S. District Judge.
Music, 33, with a last known address in Walnut Creek, pleaded guilty to the carjacking charge today, Tuesday, March 9, 2021 and was sentenced at the same hearing. According to his plea agreement, Music admitted that on April 19, 2020, he violently carjacked a Prius parked in the 5200 block of Campus Drive of Dublin, CA.
To carjack the vehicle, Music opened the driver’s door, punched the male victim seated in the driver’s seat, pulled the victim out of the Prius while continuing to punch him on the head, and forced his way into the driver’s seat. Music drove away in the Prius while the victim hung onto the driver’s side door. According to the plea agreement, the carjacking occurred approximately 40 minutes after Music was granted pretrial release from Santa Rita Jail, where he had been held while awaiting prosecution by Alameda County authorities on other charges, just one mile away.
After carjacking the Prius, Music drove to San Ramon, where he later approached a female victim seated in the driver’s seat of a parked vehicle. The female driver drove away. Music was apprehended later that same day in San Ramon, and he has remained in custody since his arrest.
A federal grand jury indicted Music on June 16, 2020, charging him with one count of carjacking, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2119(1). Music pleaded guilty to the count.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Gonzalez Rogers sentenced Music to a three-year period of supervised release. The defendant will begin serving the sentence immediately.
According to localcrimenews.com, Music was also arrested for hurting a police K9 and resisting arrest.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan U. Lee is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kay Konopaske and Kathleen Turner. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, the Dublin Police Department, and the San Ramon Police Department.
Allen Payton contributed to this report.
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Introduces three bills
Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (D, CA-11) announced, Monday, his effort to create a model that will help transition our economy away from petroleum products to cleaner, renewable energy while simultaneously supporting workers, communities, and state and local governments. The model will also create more investments in our transportation system, developing an inter-connected, world-class public transportation network and creating jobs. The coronavirus pandemic has expedited our transition away” from petroleum products which increases the urgency of a planned and serious effort to make sure we shape this transition in a way that works for everyone. DeSaulnier’s model will allow local communities to join with workers, industry, environmental leaders, mayors, and other local elected officials to proactively plan for the transition away from the petroleum industry and support worker transition and training.
As part of this effort, Congressman DeSaulnier announced three bills that will address this transition. The first bill, the Protecting Workers for a Clean Future Act, addresses the imminent market evolution to renewable, clean energy by providing direct support to local communities to convene industry, the local petroleum products workforce whose jobs are at risk, environmental justice advocates, and environmental groups to make a plan to transition workers to meaningful, sustainable work. The market is inevitably moving to cheaper, more sustainable energy sources, and refinery workers across America will fall victim to joblessness if we do not act now.
The second bill, the Jobs for a Carbon Free Transportation System Act, takes a unique approach to addressing the intersection of three of the biggest challenges our nation faces: climate change, outdated infrastructure, and job insecurity. The bill prioritizes and invests in state-of-the-art transportation system reforms that would improve mobility and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by developing low-carbon, efficient, inter-connected, and smart transportation corridors all while creating good paying union jobs. With the inevitable transition away from petroleum products these improvements would have, it also supports workers to transition out of the petroleum products industry and into meaningful, more secure work.
The third bill, the Clean Corridors Act, would launch a federal program that would accelerate the expansion of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to help reverse climate change and modernize our country’s infrastructure. Specifically, the Clean Corridors Act, which the congressman also introduced in the 116th Congress, would direct $3 billion over the coming decade to construct and install infrastructure to support technologies like hydrogen fuel cell and electric battery-powered vehicles. With this legislation, we can help sustain the growth of the EV market, which means more jobs, a healthier Earth, and a strong economy.
“We’re seeing firsthand in Contra Costa that refineries are idling…and local governments are losing their tax base because of the decrease in…(oil) consumption during the pandemic. Failing to address the market shift will inevitably create a snowball effect including dramatic job loss and decreased local and county revenues, which in turn create drastically underfunded schools. The time is now…to shift toward more sustainable sources of energy, but they cannot leave thousands of workers jobless in their wake,” said DeSaulnier. “At home in Contra Costa and around the country, we have the opportunity to set the stage for green jobs that are both worthy of workers’ skills and help our nation in the much-needed fight against climate change. This effort can help make Contra Costa a model for the rest of the nation.”
In developing this effort, the congressman has held dozens of meetings with stakeholders over the past two years, including with local mayors, county supervisors, the Contra Costa County administrator, other elected officials, environmental justice advocates, environmental representatives, labor leaders, university researchers, and other thought leaders on the energy transition.
“I am proud to support Rep. DeSaulnier’s transition model that will support workers while also incentivizing the move toward clean energy,” said Congressman Mike Thompson (D, CA-5), who represents Martinez. “These three bills are a critical step forward in using renewable energy right here in our community while also ensuring that workers have the opportunity for retraining and job opportunities in new industries. I am proud that our region can be an example in this important step toward tackling climate change and paving the way forward for green jobs.”
“We welcome Congressman DeSaulnier’s bold effort since our county is on the front lines of the transition to cleaner energy,” said Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia, who represents West County in District 1. “Given the plans of two Contra Costa refineries to end crude oil production and convert to the world’s largest renewable fuels plants, we need to ensure our workers and local economy are not left behind and that residents in communities which bear the burden of pollution benefit from the transition to clean energy.”
“We welcome leadership and assistance from the federal government as we develop plans to help workers, bolster our economy, and support communities that have historically been the most impacted,” said Contra Costa County Administrator Monica Nino.
“As we transition to clean fuels and high-tech energy, it is a matter of equity and economic justice that we support the growth of high-paying jobs and industries to replace those which are being phased out,” said California Assemblyman Tim Grayson. “The green economy presents us the opportunity to not only protect our planet, but to also empower workers, particularly those within historically-marginalized communities, by investing in their training and education.”
“The future of work in the green economy cannot be a race to the bottom in terms of labor standards and not having a voice at work,” said Contra Costa Labor Council Executive Director Josh Anijar. “Contra Costa’s labor movement is encouraged by Congressmember DeSaulnier and all those who are committed toward the future by building the bridge between the green economy and working families.”
“The clean energy economy can work for everyone, providing good paying jobs for a just transition, giving all of us more options,” said Ann Notthoff, retired Natural Resources Defense Council California Advocacy Director.
“The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers has a history of being at the forefront of innovation related to clean, reliable energy.” said International Vice President for the Western States Section of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Tom Baca. “To that end, we continue to advocate for carbon capture, use and storage and other carbon capture technology as a solution – all while preserving and creating jobs, economic growth, and social stability.”
“Contra Costa County’s refineries are well aware of the energy future and work every day to help meet it. Local refineries have invested billions to upgrade their facilities as California leads the nation with ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets,” said President and CEO of the East Bay Leadership Council Kristin Connelly. “Without a doubt, the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted countless industries including the local energy sector. Protecting the thousands of high paying jobs created by these employers must be a top priority. The East Bay Leadership Council looks forward to working with Congressman DeSaulnier in facilitating industry’s engagement in this process.”
“Congressman DeSaulnier has clearly thought about the American workers and communities that will be impacted by this transition, and he is seeking solutions to ensure those workers and communities are supported as we move into a low-carbon future,” said Citizens’ Climate Lobby Executive Director Mark Reynolds.
Rep. DeSaulnier is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives Education and Labor Committee, Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, and Oversight and Reform Committee. He previously served as the Chair of the State Senate Transportation and Housing Committee and in the State Assembly as the first freshman in history to chair the Assembly Transportation Committee. He is also a former Concord City Councilmember, Mayor, County Supervisor, and member of the California Air Resources Board.
Read MoreCCCSheriff
Second arrest in a year
By Orinda Police Department
On Monday, March 1, 2021, at about 4:13 PM, an Orinda police officer conducting a walkthrough of a drugstore on Orinda Way was alerted by employees that a person was fleeing after stealing items. The officer chased the suspect on foot in an attempt to apprehend him. The suspect entered a vehicle in the parking lot. The officer tried to open the driver’s door. The suspect struck the officer with his vehicle before fleeing on westbound Highway 24. The officer suffered minor injuries.
Detectives from the Orinda Police Department and the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff were able to identify the suspect.
On Thursday, March 4, 2021, at about 8 PM the suspect was spotted in the City of Richmond. The suspect fled leading deputy sheriffs from the Sheriff’s Office J-Team on a pursuit on westbound Highway 80. The suspect vehicle became disabled on Adeline Street in Berkeley. He was arrested by deputies after a foot chase.
The suspect is identified as 28-year-old Delvente Murry of San Francisco. He is being held at the Martinez Detention Facility on the following charges: assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, felony evading, obstructing a peace officer, and probation violation.
Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to contact Sergeant S. Valkanoff of the Orinda Police Department at (925) 253-4217. For any tips, please email: orindatip@cityoforinda.org or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
According to localcrimenews.com, Murry was also arrested in Alameda by the Alameda County Sheriff on March 11, 2020 for the following counts: 148(A)(1) – Resist / Obstruct / Delay Peace Officer, 14601.1(A) – Drive While License Suspended, 20002(A) – Hit And Run Resulting In Property Damage, and 23103(A) – Reckless Driving-Public Street.
Allen Payton contributed to this report.
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