Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

San Mateo man arrested as Sheriff’s Office shuts down illegal gaming operation in Pacheco

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Illegal casino operation in Pacheco shut down. Photos by CCC Sheriff.

By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

Detectives from the Special Investigation Unit of the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff launched an investigation into an alleged illegal gaming operation on the 5000 block of Pacheco Boulevard after receiving a tip from a citizen regarding a casino at that location.

Through their investigation, Detectives were able to corroborate the information provided by the citizen. Detectives later secured a search warrant for the location, which was served last night. Inside the establishment, they found 37 computer terminals, which offered slot machines, video poker, and other games of chance.

The computers were seized along with some cash. Detectives arrested 48-year-old Vinson Anies of San Mateo. He was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility.

Anyone with any information on this case is asked to contact the Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600 or call the anonymous tip line at (866) 846-3592. Tips can also be emailed to: tips@so.cccounty.us.

Man dies while in custody at Martinez Detention Facility Saturday night

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By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

On Saturday, November 3, 2018, at about 11:27 PM, Deputy Sheriffs in the intake area of the Martinez Detention Facility were alerted to a medical situation in a holding room.

Deputies found an inmate unresponsive and called for medical personnel at MDF to respond. Deputies and medical staff immediately performed CPR on the inmate. An ambulance and the fire department were also called and responded. The inmate was later pronounced deceased at the scene. The identity of the 26-year-old man is not being released at this time.

The investigation into this death is ongoing. Per the in custody fatal incident protocol, the investigation is being conducted by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office and the Office of the Sheriff.

Martinez man charged with child molestation and production, distribution and selling child pornography

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On Thursday October 25, 2018, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office charged 21-year-old Martinez resident Aaron Kurtis Mikkelsen with multiple felony violations including committing lewd acts with a minor under 13, producing child pornography, as well as selling and distributing child sexual abuse material online.

On October 23, 2018, the Contra Costa County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force executed a search warrant in Martinez related to Mikkelsen selling child pornography on social media. During the search, investigators located evidence that Mikkelsen had sexually abused a child under 13 years old. Investigators located a significant amount of child sexual abuse material on his cell phone and in various social media accounts.

Mikkelsen will be arraigned in Martinez at the Contra Costa County Superior Courthouse this morning. Mikkelsen remains in the custody of the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office on $500,000 bail. Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Kolko is prosecuting the case on behalf of the People.

The investigation was conducted by a multi-agency Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which is managed by the San Jose Police Department. In Contra Costa County, detectives and investigators from the Walnut Creek, Martinez, San Ramon, Concord and Moraga Police Departments, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, United States Secret Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Contra Costa County Probation Department, and Inspectors from the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office participate in the task force.

Parents are encouraged to discuss online safety with their children, and can visit the website www.kidsmartz.org or our website for further information.

Case information: People v. Mikkelsen, Dockett Number 01-187610-1

Two teens killed, three teens injured in Walnut Creek crash off Highway 24, Sunday morning

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Screenshot of crashed Honda on Boulevard Circle in Walnut Creek, Sunday morning, Aug. 12, 2018. Screenshot from NBC Bay Area news report.

Female driver charged with multiple counts of felony manslaughter, DUI

By CHP – Contra Costa

The driver, Ramya Ramey. Photo from screenshot of KPIX5 news report.

Sunday morning, Aug. 12, 2018 at about 4:01am, Contra Costa CHP was advised of a solo vehicle collision that came off SR-24 and onto Boulevard Circle at Boulevard Way in Walnut Creek. Upon emergency personnel and CHP arrival, two passengers from the 2000 Silver Honda Civic were declared deceased, the driver was still alive but with major injuries, and two other passengers had also suffered major injuries. All parties were transported to John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek. The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Office will be handling the release of the identities of the deceased parties, please refer to them for that information.

In the initial investigation, it appears that the 18-year-old female driver from Antioch was driving the Honda on eastbound SR-24 and approaching the I-680 interchange. For reasons unknown that are still under investigation, she allowed the Honda to veer completely off SR-24 and overturned and crashed onto Boulevard Circle, which is below SR-24, causing major damage. Two male passengers, one 17 and the other 18 years old, both from Antioch, were immediately pronounced deceased upon emergency personal arrival. Two other female 18-year-old passengers from Antioch and Oakley suffered major injuries and transported to the hospital. The driver, Ramya Ramey, (DOB-1/30/2000) from Antioch, suffered major injuries as well and was also transported to the hospital where she was placed under arrest for multiple counts of felony manslaughter for killing two of her passengers and multiple counts of felony DUI causing major injuries to her other passengers.

UPDATE: The Contra Costa County Coroner’s Office released the identities of the two victims on Monday afternoon. They are 17-year-old Dakarai Rishon Fagorala a former varsity basketball player at and 2018 graduate of Deer Valley High School, and 18-year-old John Hamed Walizada, a 2017 graduate also of Deer Valley.

This is a tragic incident where alcohol and underage drinking & driving was involved. This investigation 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 or 1-(800)-TELL-CHP. Thank you.

Report: Four Contra Costa cities make list of 100 most dangerous in California

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Richmond ranks 6th overall, 5th for murders; Antioch ranks 20th overall, 21st for murders; Pittsburg ranks 59th overall, 13th for murders; Concord ranks 82nd overall, 87th for murders

By Michael McKneely.

California is a large and diverse state. The landscape, social climate, and opportunities in one city may be entirely different than in another. Significant differences also exist in violent crime rates. Certain cities are more dangerous than others due to a variety of factors, such as economic opportunity, education, alcohol and drug use, availability of social and family services, gang activity, and much more.

In the most dangerous cities, you are more likely to become a victim of a violent crime. You also may be more likely to face accusations of committing an offense.

According to the FBI, since 2016, out of the 461 individual municipalities in California, four cities in Contra Costa County made the list of the 100 most dangerous cities within the state with a population of at least 50,000 residents. Richmond ranks 6th overall and 5th for murders at 18.9 per 100,000 residents; Antioch ranks 20th and 21st for murders; Pittsburg ranks 59th overall and 13th for murders; and Concord ranks 82nd overall and 87th for murders.

Richmond, a city of only 110,868 people, had a violent crime volume of 919.1 per 100,000 people. This number is made up of 18.9 homicides, 64.9 rapes, 328.2 robberies, and 506.9 aggravated assaults per 100,000 individuals.

Antioch had a violent crime volume of 678 per 100,000 people, as a result of eight homicides, 49.1 rapes, 261.4 robberies, and 359.5 aggravated assaults per 100,000 residents.

Pittsburg had 9.9 homicides per 100,000 people in 2016 – a higher rate than many other cities of a similar size. The city had 59.4 rapes, 164.2 robberies, and 159.9 aggravated assaults per 100,000 individuals. The overall violent crime volume was 393.4 per 100,000 residents.

Concord reported 0.8 homicides, 23.9 rapes, 122.4 robberies, and 197.1 aggravated assaults per 100,000 people. This amounted to a violent crime volume of 344.1 offenses per 100,000 individuals.

Part I crime statists for the four cities in Contra Costa County on the list.

Crime Statistics: Volume vs. Rate

One of the ways the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reports on crime around the country is to provide the crime volume for certain locations. This is neither the specific number of offenses that occurred in a specific period of time nor the crime rate. Instead, crime volume is a simplified indicator of how frequently a crime occurs.

In regard to murder and non-negligent manslaughter (homicide), robbery, rape, and aggravated assault, the crime volume indicates the number of known victims. For example, Los Angeles had a volume of 58.5 rapes per 100,000 inhabitants. This means there were 58.5 known victims of rape for every 100,000 people.

The crime rate would be the number of reported crimes standardized by population. To determine the crime rate, you divide a city’s population by 100,000 to obtain X. You then divide the number of offenses by X. This gives you the city’s crime rate per 100,000 residents for a specific offense. For example, Los Angeles had a population of 4,007,905. Divide the population by 100,000, and X equals 40.079. Divide the volume of homicides in Los Angeles, 293, by 40.079, and the homicide rate is 7.31 per 100,000 residents.

It is also notable that if a city has less than 100,000 residents, the numbers still reflect a rate of incidents per 100,000 individuals. This has been calculated to maintain consistency and allow for comparison of overall crime rates. All of the cities on this list have at least 50,000 residents. This allows for more uniform comparison of crime rates.

Most Dangerous Cities in California and Contra Costa County

The following California cities considered in this study are the most dangerous when comparing total crime rate per 100,000 residents:

  1. Oakland, 2. Stockton; 3. San Bernardino, 4. Compton, 5. Modesto, 6. Richmond, 7. Vallejo, 8. Santa Cruz, 9. Redding, 10. Madera, 11. Huntington Park, 12. Inglewood, 13. Hawthorne, 14. Hemet, 15. Los Angeles, 16. Sacramento, 17. San Francisco, 18. South Gate, 19. Lancaster, 20. Antioch, 59. Pittsburg, 82. Concord.

To view the crime map in Richmond, visit https://www.crimemapping.com/map/agency/310. To see crime maps, statistics and calls for service for Antioch, visit http://www.ci.antioch.ca.us/CityGov/Police/crime-maps/. Details on Pittsburg crime statistics can be seen here, http://www.ci.pittsburg.ca.us/index.aspx?page=746. To visit the Concord Police Department webpage click here, http://www.cityofconcord.org/page.asp?pid=1026. To see more details for each city on the list, visit www.fresnocriminalattorney.com/most-dangerous-cities-california.

McKneely is a criminal defense lawyer in Fresno, California.

Fatal auto vs. bicyclist collision in Concord early Wednesday morning

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By Sergeant Adam Hart, Concord Police Traffic Bureau

On Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at 12:05 AM the Concord Police Department received a call regarding an auto vs. bicyclist collision on San Miguel Road near Systron Drive Officers arrived on-scene along with medical personnel from the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.

The bicyclist was pronounced deceased at the scene. The bicyclist was identified as a 60-year-old male from Concord. The identity of the deceased bicyclist is not being released at this time pending notification of next of kin by the Contra Costa County Office of the Coroner.

The driver of the vehicle is a 57-year-old male from Antioch. He remained at the scene and was the caller who called in the collision. He is cooperating with the investigation. He was not injured during the collision.

Alcohol/drugs are not believed to be a factor in this collision at this time.

The cause of the collision is still under investigation. Preliminary investigation has revealed that both the vehicle and the bicyclist were travelling south on San Miguel Rd. at the time of the collision.

San Miguel Road between Systron Drive and the entrance to 1080 San Miguel Road was closed for approximately 3.5 hours to perform roadway measurements, collect evidence, and conduct the investigation.

Additional details are not being released at this time.

Anyone with information or who may have witnessed this collision is encouraged to contact Officer Lawrence at (925) 671-5097.

BREAKING NEWS: DeSaulnier reports proposed Concord detention center “has been halted”

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Rep. Mark DeSaulnier

Washington, DC – Today, Wednesday, June 27, 2018, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) issued the following statement in response to news that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed that it will not be moving forward with a detention center at the Concord Naval Weapons Station.

“I am pleased the effort to turn Concord Naval Weapons Station into a detention facility has been halted. As we advised the Administration, the Concord Naval Weapons Station is an unsafe and inhabitable environment, and to propose housing almost 50,000 people there was both dangerous and immoral. We fought this proposal along with our local officials and dedicated community and will continue to fight against the inhumane and unjust policies proposed by this Administration. It is important not to let our guard down as one tweet can change things.”

Congressman DeSaulnier voiced concerns to the Administration about creating a detention facility on Concord Naval Weapons Station and led an effort of California Members in asking for the release of a proposal identifying Concord Naval Weapons Station as a possible detention site. News of Concord making the list of proposed facilities first broke in Time Magazine and Congressman DeSaulnier immediately contacted local officials to work with them to fight this effort. He also held a Facebook town hall to answer questions from area residents.

Concord mayor sends letter to Secretary of Navy opposing proposed detention center

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Emergency council meeting to be held today at 1:00 p.m.

The former Concord Naval Weapons Station. Photo by Concordreuseproject.org

Mayor Birsan

By Allen Payton

On Monday, Concord Mayor Edi Birsan sent a letter to Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer outlining his opposition to a proposed detention center at the former Concord Naval Weapons Station for as many as 47,000 illegal immigrants, who will be housed there pending their court dates. (See related article.)

Birsan reminded Spencer of Concord’s work “with the Navy for the last 12 years” and spending “millions of tax payers dollars (both federal and local) in negotiations for the sale of the property.” The city has plans for as many as 12,000 homes on the land south of Highway 4.
He also pointed out the challenges with environmental cleanup of the former nuclear weapons that were stored at the site.

An emergency meeting of the Concord City Council has been called for 1:00 p.m., today in the Council Chambers at 1950 Parkside Drive.

Following is the complete letter from Birsan:

June 25, 2018

The Honorable Richard Spencer
Secretary of the Navy
1000 Navy Pentagon
Washington, DC 20350-1000

Dear Mr. Secretary,

On behalf of the Concord Community, Concord City Council and Local Reuse Authority, and as Mayor of the City of Concord, I am requesting your assistance in obtaining factual information regarding a draft Navy memo reportedly considering the placement of a detention center housing more than 47,000 immigrants at the former Concord Naval Weapons Station (CNWS). Concord residents and leaders have numerous questions about the detention center proposal and we would welcome you or an authorized representative to come to a City Council meeting to clarify the situation, including the decision making process, current status and timing.

The City of Concord has worked in partnership with the Navy for the last 12 years through the BRAC process and spent millions of tax payers dollars (both federal and local) in negotiations for the sale of the property, planning for the site, and environmental permitting and remediation of the site. Our current negotiations with Navy staff anticipate first transfers of property over the next few months. Property that is not being transferred in the first transfers lack clearance from the federal government as “suitable” for transfer, which means that these lands are not suitable for public habitation either.

The CNWS is neither rural nor remote, rather it is directly adjacent to existing Concord neighborhoods and the largest active Army ammunition and explosives depot at Military Ocean Terminal Concord (MOTCO) on the West Coast.

Below, I’ve outlined these concerns a bit more.

Basic Concerns
• The location of the CNWS directly adjacent to our residential community and to MOTCO.
• Significant acreage within the CNWS is still undergoing assessment and clean-up of Navy contamination and is not suitable for transfer nor human occupation.
• The City and the Navy have been working together over the last 12-years through the BRAC process and we are within months of transferring property to the City and the East Bay Regional Parks District for development of parkland and housing and commercial uses.
• The CNWS currently has no useful infrastructure to provide water, sewer, or electricity.

These concerns, individually and collectively, make the CNWS unsuitable for consideration as a detention facility.

BRAC Process and Property Transfer

Over 12 years ago the City of Concord was designated as the Local Reuse Authority (LRA) under the Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC) and began a partnership with the Navy to facilitate the transfer and redevelopment of the CNWS. This partnership has spent millions of local and Federal taxpayers’ dollars to engage the local community in a vision for the project; prepare the necessary environmental assessments, pursue the required resource agency permits; and secure a Master Developer willing to plan and finance the creation of jobs and housing at the site. To now withdraw from that process and shift to a transfer enabling a detention center would negate all those honorable efforts and reflect poorly on future negotiations here and elsewhere for the Navy.

Concord’s Historic Background

This July 4th Concord will be also celebrating the 150th anniversary of its founding. When the nearby town was totally destroyed by the Hayward Fault earthquake, Don Salvio Pacheco and his Mexican-American family initiated the plans for the city, and gave their land away for a $1 to the survivors and refugees of the destroyed town so that they may build together a new community which the people quickly called Concord, as in living in concordance with one another.

Future Collaboration and Information Sharing

Concord residents would appreciate any information the Navy can provide us with regards to the draft memo identifying the CNWS as a potential detention center or future considerations of this concept. We have appreciated the Navy’s close collaboration with us on our efforts to plan for the reuse and redevelopment of the CNWS. Clearly, we do not think the CNWS is an appropriate location for a detention center and will gladly provide the federal government with any information they may require in this decision making process.

Thank you for your consideration on these matters. I repeat, again, our offer for you or your authorized representative to come to the City Council and explain in detail where the Navy intends to go in this regard.

Yours truly,

Edi Birsan
Mayor of the City of Concord, California.

Copy to:
Senator Dianne Feinstein
Senator Kamala Harris
Congressman Mark DeSaulnier
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Phyliss Bayer
State Senator Steve Glazer
State Assemblymember Tim Grayson
County Supervisor Karen Mitchoff
Concord City Council and Staff

Mental Health Services Act community forum June 21 in Concord

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From visionsteen.com.

WHAT: Contra Costa Behavioral Health Services, a division of Contra Costa Health Services Department (CCHS), invites anyone interested in discussing local public mental health services to participate in a public forum Thursday, June 21, in Concord.

The forum offers the opportunity to discuss current issues relevant to providing mental health care in the community. These discussions will help inform future use of local Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funding.

WHO: All members of the public are welcome, including participants in mental health services, their family members and service providers.

RSVP to attend a forum by emailing mhsa@hsd.cccounty.us – please include “MHSA Forum” in the subject line – or by telephoning (925) 957-2617. Attendees may also mail RSVPs to MHSA, 1220 Morello Avenue, Suite 100, Martinez, CA 94553.

WHEN: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Thursday, June 21 at John Muir Medical Center, 2540 East Street, Concord

WHY: Contra Costa County’s current MHSA budget provides $51.6 million to more than 80 mental health programs and services. Forum goals include identifying service needs, priorities and strategies to inform the county’s MHSA Three-Year Program and Expenditure Plan.

The forum will include an overview of how MHSA works and how funding is currently used in Contra Costa.

Visit www.cchealth.org/mentalhealth/mhsa to read the plan and other information about the MHSA in Contra Costa.

Supervisors give thumbs down to Seeno III’s proposed 13,888 square foot Alamo mansion

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By Daniel Borsuk

After listening to 15 speakers knock down Concord-based Discovery Builders Inc. for allegedly skirting state environmental impact report laws and potentially imposing accessibility safety hazards in the tony Alamo Summit neighborhood, Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors axed the proposed 13,888 square foot mansion on a 5 to 0 vote Tuesday.

District 2 Supervisor Candace Andersen of San Ramon made the motion to deny Discovery Builders’ appeal to use its 1992 development’s environmental impact report for what was then a 32-unit housing development on three lots and to consolidate those lots for the construction of one massive dwelling.

According to the staff report, “the project site is located within the boundaries of Alamo Summit, a 37-lot subdivision (SD 7553) that was previously approved by the County. The Alamo Summit subdivision is located on a hillside at the southern terminus of Castle Crest Road, approximately ½ mile west of Danville Boulevard at Livorna Road.”

Concerned that the 1992 environmental impact report might not meet 2018 standards, the supervisor said, “I move to deny the appeal.  The developers must do a reversion. They must start CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) from scratch.”

Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond seconded Andersen’s motion.

Supervisors backed a Planning Commission’s and Department of Conservation and Development recommendation that the development should be rejected because of the “significant hazards” to residents that would exist on Ridgewood Road, especially during construction of the proposed house.

Discovery Builders Inc. president Louis Parsons left the supervisors board hearing room so quickly after the supervisors vote that this reporter was unable to track him and down to ask him and Albert Seeno, III who was also present in the supervisors hearing chambers, whether the Seeno affiliate company plans to abide by the supervisors’ ruling and draft a new EIR that could cost thousands of dollars and delay the development for at least several years.  A telephone call to Discovery Builders Inc. went unanswered.

In looking for cost-cutting measures during construction, Discovery Builders plans to use gravel rather than paving the road with asphalt when construction trucks ramble up and down narrow Ridgeway Road that is 16 feet wide.

Prior to the supervisors’ action, speakers hammered away at the proposed Alamo Summit residential project.

“This is an incomplete proposal,” commented Brenda Hoppler of nearby Rossmoor “because the California Environmental Quality ACT has expired, and the developer would need to do a separate environmental review.”

Ken Hoffman of the Castlerock Homeowners Association said a new environmental review is necessary because Ridgeway Road is only 16 feet wide and would probably mean the temporary closure of the road during construction of the Discovery Builders development.  “This would mean some residents would be trapped in an emergency,” he said to the proposal to provide a gravel road during construction won’t work in an emergency.

Contra Costa Fire Protection Report Requested

Board Chair Karen Mitchoff has requested that the Contra Costa Fire Protection District submit a written report in response to a Bay Area News Group article that was published on Sunday, June 3, that more than 400 apartment buildings in the Bay Area have not undergone inspections by local fire departments.

The article said in Contra Costa County 25 percent of the apartment buildings have not undergone inspections.  Overdue apartment building inspections were found mainly in Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Concord, Martinez, Pittsburg, and Antioch.