Early this morning, at approximately 1:59 a.m., Contra Costa CHP was advised of a two-vehicle collision on I-680 southbound, just north of Treat Blvd in Walnut Creek. Upon emergency personnel and CHP arrival, it was determined a Nissan Sentra had collided with a dump truck, then subsequently rolled, collided with the concrete center wall, and sustained major damage.
Tragically the solo male driver of the Nissan (43 years old from Hayward) was pronounced deceased at the scene. The solo adult male driver of the dump truck was not injured. The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Office will be handling the release of identity of the deceased male.
Our preliminary investigation indicates that the driver of the Nissan was traveling southbound on I-680 and for unknown reasons veered across the lanes (from right to left) and collided into the back of the dump truck. Then due to the impact, the Nissan rolled and collided into the concrete center wall and sustained major damage, partially trapping the driver inside. Once the Fire Department and emergency personnel arrived, the driver was extricated from the Nissan but unfortunately pronounced deceased on scene.
Through the investigation on scene, it appeared that the driver was not wearing his seatbelt. The solo male driver of the dump truck was not injured and remained on scene during the investigation.
Although alcohol bottles were located in the Nissan, it is unknown at this time if alcohol and/or drugs are a factor in this collision as it is still under investigation. If anyone witnessed this collision or the Nissan on I-680 prior to this crash, please contact Contra Costa CHP at (925) 646-4980. Thank you.
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Screenshot of an ABC7 News report shows the suspect’s vehicle following the collision which resulted in his death in San Pablo, Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018.
By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
Sheriff-Coroner David O. Livingston announces that a Coroner’s Jury has reached a finding in the November 27, 2018 death of 29-year-old Narayan Raymond Sanwal of El Sobrante. The finding of the jury is that the death is an accident.
The Coroner’s Jury reached a 12-0 verdict after hearing the testimony of witnesses called by the hearing officer, Matthew Guichard.
Sanwal fled from police and crashed his car in San Pablo following a pursuit. (See related article)
A Coroner’s Inquest, which Sheriff-Coroner Livingston convenes in all fatal incidents involving police officers, is a public hearing, during which a jury rules on the manner of a person’s death. Jury members can choose from the following four options when making their finding: accident, suicide, natural causes or at the hands of another person, other than by accident.
The month following his death, Sanwal’s family formed “The Narayan R. Sanwal Charitable Giving Fund which will be making charitable contributions to organizations who help young people in under-served communities in the areas of sports, fitness and educational programs in the Bay Area and beyond.”
Allen Payton contributed to this report.
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The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors honored gardener Victor Celis for 25 years of dedicated service with an award on Tuesday. Celis is a landscaper who is widely known for his professional work at the Lafayette library and in the Alamo area. He has been a lead gardener with the county Public Works Department since 1999. “I’m so humbled and so grateful,“ said Celis. “ I enjoy working for the county. Thank you so much” At the award presentation were from left, Contra Costa County Public Works Director Brian Balbas, Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg, Board Chairperson John Gioia of Richmond, Victor Celis,, Supervisor Karen Mitchoff of Pleasant Hill, wife Alma Celis, daughter Alia Celis, Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood and Vice Chairperson Candace Andersen of Danville. Photo by Daniel Borsuk
Andersen elected Board Chair for 2020
By Daniel Borsuk
Without any citizen opposition, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 on Tuesday to approve an ordinance that will prohibit food vendors from using polystyrene food service ware (Styrofoam) and require vendors to use environmentally-friendly food service products.
The ordinance goes into effect on May 1, 2020. The Contra Costa County Department of Public Works will enforce the law.
The ordinance includes a procedure where a food vendor can file for a one-year hardship exemption from the county. The exemption is renewable.
Concerning the exemption, the ordinance states:
“Application for hardship exemption. A food vendor may request a hardship exemption from the requirements of this chapter by submitting a written request to the Public Works Director. The food vendor must establish to the satisfaction of the Public Works Director that use of polystyrene food service ware will cause an undue hardship to the vendor, or that no suitable alternative polystyrene food service ware is available in the form of environmentally-friendly food service ware. The Public Works Director may require the food vendor to provide additional information in support of its request for a hardship exemption, including, but not limited to a list of available alternative packaging materials and the reasons why those materials cannot be used without causing a hardship to the food vendor. A hardship does not exist solely on the basis that an environmentally-friendly food service ware product costs more than a similar polystyrene food service ware product.”
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Howdy Goudey, chair of the Contra Costa Sustainability Commission, told supervisors on Tuesday that he welcomes the county’s ordinance banning polystyrene foodware. Photo by Daniel Howdy Goudey
Exempt from the ordinance are raw meat trays, polystyrene-based ice chests and coolers intended to be reused, and prepackaged food products that use polystyrene-based packaging materials.
“This is great” declared Supervisor Diane Burgis of Brentwood, who briefly talked about her environmental work removing polystyrene dissolved pellets from polluted creeks in the county. “Reusable is the way to go.”
“I welcome the ban of polystyrene foodware in the proposed ordinance,” Howdy Goudey of El Cerrito, who also chairs the Contra Costa Sustainability Commission and wrote in a letter to the supervisors. Goudey also appeared at the board meeting.
“The Contra Costa County ordinance does not go far enough,” said Goudey. “It is inappropriate to exclude compostable foodware products from the definition of environmentally friendly food service ware. “
The county ordinance defines environmentally friendly food packaging as:
“(1) Single-use, disposable containers and other products made from recyclable materials and used for selling, vending, or serving food or beverages, including, but not limited to cups, bowls, plates, and hinged or lidded containers (clamshells).
“(2) Products that can be used more than once in their current form to serve or transport prepared, ready-to-consume food or beverages, including, but not limited to cups, bowls, plates, and containers made from ceramic, glass, porcelain, metal, or other composite or product intended to be reused.”
Andersen Elected Board 2020 Chair, Burgis Vice Chair
Supervisors have broken tradition on the way it elects Board Chairperson and Vice Chairperson by electing the new incoming chairperson and vice chairperson in late September instead of on the first regular board meeting held in January.
The supervisors elected Vice Chair Candace Andersen of Danville as Chairperson and Supervisor Burgis of Brentwood as Vice Chair after unanimously adopting new rules on election of new year officers.
Supervisors switched the election of Board officers from January to September because the reorganization “requires many weeks of advance planning.” In addition, “The early selection of officers of the Board of Supervisors would facilitate a seamless transition of leadership at the time of reorganization,” the board’s ordinance states.
Also, supervisors inserted a teleconference provision so supervisors who are absent or are attending a meeting elsewhere can attend or vote on crucial business items via teleconference.
In addition, supervisors modified their Disruption of Meeting Rule to read: “For the purpose of insure the orderly conduct of the Board of Supervisors meeting, no whistles, horns, drums, noise makers, megaphones, air horns, bullhorns, or other amplified devices are allowed inside the County Administration Building while the meeting is in session. If any meeting is willfully interrupted by a group or groups so that the orderly conduct of the meeting becomes infeasible and order cannot be restored by the removal of individuals who are willfully interrupting the meeting, the Chair may order the meeting room cleared, as authorized by law (Gov. Code, 54957.9), recess the meeting, adjourn the meeting.”
There were no public comments for or against Ralph M. Brown Act changes proposed by the supervisors.
Approve 35-Home Alamo Subdivision
Seven years in the making, developers got the green light from supervisors to begin construction of the environmentally sensitive Ball Estates subdivision development in the Alamo area. Supervisors approved the development’s ordinance on a 5-0 vote.
The development on a former orchard of which 735 trees of 3,489 total trees are on the project site will have to be removed, to clear ground for the gated subdivision’s 35, single family custom houses.
There was no public comment concerning the development that had previously earned environmental impact report certification from the Contra Costa County Department Conservation and Development.
Approve $25 Million in Housing Bonds for Walnut Creek Development
Supervisors approved the issuance of $25 million in revenue bonds to the nonprofit affordable housing developer Bridge Housing to finance the acquisition, construction and rehabilitation of Coggins Square Apartments in Walnut Creek. Located at 1316 Las Juntas Way in an unincorporated area nearby Walnut Creek, the development consists of 87 multifamily rental housing units.
Bridge Housing is a participant in the county’s multi-family mortgage revenue bond financing program.
Read MoreBy Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
Sheriff-Coroner David O. Livingston announces that a Coroner’s Jury has reached a finding in the October 31, 2018, death of 34-year-old Michael Sanchez Hernandez of Oakley. The finding of the jury is that the death is an accident.
Hernandez was arrested in October 2018 after fighting with his girlfriend over their baby, and four other neighbors. He was taken to a hospital and two days later, died from his injuries.
The Coroner’s Jury reached a 12-0 verdict after hearing the testimony of witnesses called by the hearing officer, Matthew Guichard.
A Coroner’s Inquest, which Sheriff-Coroner Livingston convenes in all fatal inci-dents involving police officers, is a public hearing, during which a jury rules on the manner of a person’s death. Jury members can choose from the following four options when making their finding: accident, suicide, natural causes, or at the hands of another person, other than by accident.
Allen Payton contributed to this report.
Read MoreLast seen in Clayton, early Saturday morning
By Lieutenant Joe Donleavy #6011, Antioch Police Field Services Bureau
On Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019, at 1:15 AM, Antioch Police Officers took a missing person report after George Pack failed to return home (3037 Butternut Street) after visiting a friend in another part of Antioch. Mr. Pack was last seen wearing a green short sleeve polo shirt, blue jeans and white sneakers. He is possibly driving his red 1994 Nissan Pathfinder (CA license 3HLV677). The vehicle has a 49er spare tire cover on the back. The vehicle was last seen on Marsh Creek Road near Diablo Parkway in Clayton early on the morning of Sept. 21, 2019.
Mr. Pack suffers from dementia. A Silver Alert has been issued in this case. If you see Mr. Pack, please immediately call 911 or the Antioch Police Department Dispatch at 925-778-2441 or you may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.
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Joseph Malfitano Jan. 2017 arrest photo. By Antioch Police. No photo of Marco Salazar was available.
By Bobbi Mauler, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office
A Contra Costa County Grand Jury has indicted 23-year-old Brentwood resident, Marco Salazar and 37-year-old Sacramento resident, Joseph Malfitano, a former Antioch resident, for the attempted murder of an inmate at the Martinez Detention Facility. Salazar and Malfitano were also indicted on enhancements for committing that offense for the benefit of a criminal street gang and causing great bodily injury to the victim. Additionally, they were indicted on one count of street terrorism as they were found to actively participate in the gang.
On May 4, 2019, the defendants were involved in a gang related stabbing of a fellow inmate, Edward Nachor, in the neck, in the MDF. The attack was on behalf of the Norteño and Crazy Ass Latinos (CAL) gang. The victim survived the attack but, suffered great bodily injury.
The indictment was unsealed on Monday, Sept. 23, 2019 in Dept. 3 of the county court in Martinez for their arraignment. Bail is set at $2,160,000 for Salazar and Malfitano is being held without bail. Deputy District Attorney Max Laettner is prosecuting the case. DDA Laettner is assigned to the Community Violence Reduction Unit of the DA’s office.
Salazar was arrested in Brentwood in May 2016 for attempted murder after stabbing a man in a grocery store. (See related article). Malfitano was arrested in Antioch in January 2017 for identify theft. (See related article).
Case Information: People v. Salazar & Malfitano Docket Number 05-191623-8.
Read MoreBy Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
Sunday morning at about 10:10, Orinda police responded to a report of a carjacking on the 400 block of Camino Sobrante in Orinda.
Two suspects in a vehicle apparently drove their car into the driveway of a resident and stole his vehicle, a Toyota Tacoma, at gunpoint.
Orinda officers, assisted by the CHP, searched for the Tacoma but were not able to locate it. The suspects and vehicle, a black colored Tacoma with California license plate 8R01259, are outstanding as of Sunday evening.
The original car driven by the suspects was a silver Audi RS5. It apparently was stolen earlier this month and led CHP officers on a pursuit just prior to the carjacking.
Anyone with any information on the Tacoma or suspects is asked to contact the Orinda Police Department at 925-646-2441.
Read MoreBy Sergeant Jason Shaw, Clayton Police Department
On Saturday, September 21st, at approximately 8:31 pm, Clayton Officers were dispatched to the area of Clayton Rd and Lydia Lane for a report of a vehicle versus pedestrian traffic collision. Officers arrived on scene within two minutes.
The pedestrian suffered traumatic injuries and was transported to a local hospital with life threatening injuries. The driver remained on scene and was cooperative with the investigation. It does not appear that intoxication played a factor in this collision. The investigation is on-going.
Anyone that witnessed the collision is asked to please call Sergeant Jason Shaw at 925-673-7350.
Read MoreBy Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff
The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff Marine Patrol Unit continues to search for a missing boater.
On Sunday, September 22, 2019, at about 9:07 PM, Delta Station Deputy Sheriffs responded to the area of Indian Slough and Werner Cut regarding a report of a person who apparently went into the water while his boat was being towed.
The U.S. Coast Guard, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, California Highway Patrol and Pittsburg Police Department assisted the Marine Patrol Unit with the search. The missing boater was not located.
The missing boater, a 47-year-old man, is not being identified at this time. He was entered into the state’s missing persons database and local law enforcement agencies have been notified.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Sheriff’s Office at (925) 646-2441 or the Marine Patrol Unit at (925) 427-8507. For any tips, please email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.
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