Contra Costa Herald

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

Expired tags lead to big consequences in Brentwood for young Stockton man

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The stolen Glock and magazine, and mushrooms, marijuana and hash oil gummies confiscated by police. Photos: Brentwood PD

Arrested with almost 1,000 grams of drugs, stolen gun; already out of custody with no charges filed

By Brentwood Police Department

What started as a simple traffic stop near Lone Tree Way and Highway 4 at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 14, 2026, quickly turned into much more…

Officers spotted a vehicle with registration expired for over a year. A traffic stop was conducted, and officers contacted the driver, Elijah Emmanuel Santalucia, a 21-year-old male out of Stockton.

Due to the expired registration, the vehicle was towed—but that’s when things really took a turn.

During an inventory search, officers located a stolen Glock 9mm firearm hidden under the driver’s seat. The firearm had been reported stolen out of Richmond back in November 2022.

And that wasn’t all…

Officers also recovered:

  • Over 400 grams of mushrooms
  • 185 grams of marijuana
  • Over 400 grams of hash oil gummies

Needless to say, the driver was taken into custody for multiple firearm and narcotics-related offenses and later booked at the Martinez Detention Facility.

According to the Brentwood Police CitizenRIMS, the five-foot, 10-inch tall, 175-pound Santalucia is Black. The Case Number is 2601090 and the charges included 25850(a) Pc: Carry Loaded Firearm In Public Under Specific Circumstances (Felony), 25400(a)(1) Pc: Carry Concealed Weapon In Vehicle (F), 496(a) Pc: Receive/etc Known Stolen Property (F), 11378 Hs: Possess Controlled Substance For Sale (F), 11357(b) Hs: Possess Marijuana Over 1 Oz/28.5 Grams (Misdemeanor).

According to localcrimenews.com, he was previously arrested by San Mateo County Sheriff’s Deputies in 2023 for shoplifting of less than $950.

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, as of March 18th, Santalucia is out of custody with no charges filed.

Sometimes it’s the small violations that lead to big discoveries. Great work by our officers, staying proactive and keeping our community safe!

Benicia couple charged with child abuse in e-moto crash in Walnut Creek

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The minor was riding a Sur-Ron Light Bee e-Moto bike when the crash occurred. Photo: sur-ronusa.com

They “allowed the minor to repeatedly ride the e-moto from age 14-17”

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office

Martinez, California – The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office has charged a mother and father with child abuse related to the operation of an electric motorized bicycle, known as an e-moto bike, by an unlicensed minor who suffered injuries after crashing into another vehicle in Walnut Creek.

58-year-old Steven Leroy Crews and 58-year-old Jeanna Marie Gabellini of Benicia will be arraigned on March 27th at 8:30 am in Martinez on one count of child abuse [PC 273a(a)], which is a misdemeanor.

Mr. Crews and Ms. Gabellini are alleged to have willfully and unlawfully permitted a child to be injured or placed in a situation where the child’s health is endangered on or between October 19th, 2024, and September 18th, 2025.

It was on September 18th, 2025, around 3:05 pm, that a John Doe minor related to Crews and Gabellini crashed his Surron Light Bee e-Moto bike into a minivan on Treat Boulevard and Arkell Road in Walnut Creek. The minor suffered severe injuries that required emergency care at a local hospital. The driver of the minivan was uninjured and stayed at the scene.

Walnut Creek Police investigated the collision, and through witness statements and other evidence, determined the child was unlawfully riding the e-moto on Treat Boulevard in an unsafe manner and at unsafe speeds prior to the crash. Moreover, Crews and Gabellini allowed the minor to repeatedly ride the e-moto from age 14-17, ignoring repeated citations and warnings from law enforcement.

District Attorney Diana Becton said, “E-bikes and e-motos are more prevalent on city streets. Now that California has new laws on the books to address public safety offenses related to e-bikes and e-motos, parents must understand the dangers these vehicles can pose to children if operated unlawfully and without proper driver education.”

The City of Walnut Creek has helpful information on the different classifications of e-bikes, e-motos, e-scooters, e-dirt bikes, and how to operate them safely and lawfully.

Case No. 01-25-04762 | The People of the State of California v. Steven Leroy Crews

Case No. 01-25-04777 | The People of the State of California v. Jeanna Marie Gabellini

Walgreens ordered to pay $6 million for business code violations including expired food, drugs

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By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office

Martinez, California – Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton and other District Attorneys in the State of California reached a settlement with Walgreen Co. for $6,000,000 for violations related to expired baby food, drugs, and overcharging customers.

The civil case and settlement centered on the company violating state law by charging their customers more than the lowest price posted or advertised price. The allegations that the company was in violation of these laws were based on inspections of scanners. Moreover, the civil lawsuit led to a resolution that Walgreens failed to comply with laws that prohibit the selling or offering to sell over-the-counter drugs, infant formula, and baby food products beyond the expiration date.

The court ordered Walgreen Co. to pay $5.4 million in civil penalties and $600,000 to reimburse state district attorney offices for the cost of investigations, attorneys’ fees, and other costs associated with enforcement. Contra Costa County will receive $612,000 of the civil settlement and $10,000 to cover the costs.

Walgreen Co. will also implement a three-year program to promote pricing accuracy and the removal of expired products from its store shelves. This program requires store managers to conduct monthly checks of all aisles and shelves of medication, baby food, and formula, and remove any expired items. Managers must also conduct weekly store walks and remove signage displaying inaccurate sales tag information and post signs informing customers of Walgreens’ Price Promise Guarantee. The Price Promise Guarantee means that if a customer notices a scanned price is higher than the advertised price, the customer will be charged the lower price.

District Attorney Diana Becton said, “Customers should have confidence that companies that sell food and formula to infants and children are doing so by being scrupulous about the safety of the products in their stores. The same goes for medications that are sold beyond their expiration dates. The work of my office and those of other district attorney offices in the state shows that when we work together to enforce laws, we not only ensure compliance – we’re also restoring trust and safety in our communities.”

Case No. 1-13-CV-239110 | The People of the State of California v. Walgreen Co., an Illinois Corporation

DA charges Butte County man with murder in Lafayette homicide

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Suspect used hatchet to kill 34-year-old Christopher Jaber

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office

Martinez, California – The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office has charged a Butte County man with the murder of a Lafayette resident.

35-year-old David Swank Prince is scheduled to be arraigned in court on March 25th for the murder of 34-year-old Christopher Jaber. Prince unlawfully and with malice aforethought took the life of Jaber with the use of a hatchet.

On March 21, 2026, around 11:30 am, a relative of Christopher Jaber called 911 to report a suspicious individual with a hatchet in the backyard area of their property. The caller told dispatch that the individual was breaking into an Accessory Dwelling Unit where Jaber resided. When officers from the Lafayette Police Department arrived at the scene, they located Prince a short distance from the ADU, where he was detained and subsequently arrested. (See related article)

The murder appears to be a targeted act. The investigation into the motive for the murder and whether Prince and Jaber were acquainted is ongoing.

Prince is set to be in court at 1:30 pm in Martinez on Wednesday, where he could enter a plea to the murder charge and enhancement for the use of a deadly weapon. He is currently in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility.

Case No. 01-26-01746 | The People of the State of California v. David Swank Prince

Suspect arrested in death of 34-year-old Lafayette man

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35-year-old David Prince held on $1M bail, has history of 23 previous arrests including 11 last year

By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office & Lafayette Police Department

On Saturday morning, March 21, 2026, at 11:36, Lafayette police officers were dispatched to a suspicious subject at a residence on Westminster Place in Lafayette. Officers arrived and entered the home finding a man who was deceased. A person walking nearby was detained for further investigation in connection with this incident and was later arrested.

He is identified as 35-year-old David Swank Prince (born 12-18-1990) of Chico, California.

Detectives from the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office homicide unit and the crime lab responded to the scene.

Saturday evening, Prince was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on one count of murder. He is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.

The victim in the homicide is identified as 34-year-old Christopher Jaber of Lafayette, CA.

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, the six-foot, one-inch tall, 170-pound Prince is Hispanic.

According to localcrimenews.com, he has a history of 23 previous arrests dating back to 2016 by multiple agencies for crimes including battery, vandalism, shoplifting, petty theft, DUI, resisting arrest, reckless driving, evasion with wanton disregard for safety, public intoxication, driving with a suspended license and evasion of public transit fare payment. In addition, Prince has lived in a variety of cities including Walnut Creek, last year, Pleasant Hill in 2023, as well as Berkeley, San Francisco, Oroville and Modesto.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to contact the Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600 or through Sheriff’s Office dispatch at (925) 646-2441. For any tips, email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Concord woman charged with vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated

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Took life of 41-year-old Pleasant Hill female cyclist

Bail set at $350K, bonded out of custody Thursday morning

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office

Martinez, California – On March 17, 2026, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office charged a Concord woman in a DUI-related hit-and-run collision that took the life of a Pleasant Hill woman.

45-year-old Angelina Marina Solis faces charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage causing injury, driving with a .08% blood alcohol content causing injury, and leaving the scene of an accident. Three charges have enhancements: One with fleeing the scene of a crime and two for great bodily injury to the victim.

At approximately 1:49 a.m. on March 8th, Solis was traveling northbound on Contra Costa Blvd. when she ran a red light at the intersection of Taylor Blvd. in Pleasant Hill. Her vehicle struck a 41-year-old Pleasant Hill woman who, along with another individual, was crossing the street in a marked crosswalk. After the collision, Solis fled the scene.

Pleasant Hill Police responded to 911 calls from bystanders and immediately rendered aid to the female bicyclist who had sustained critical injuries after being struck by the suspect’s vehicle. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. The other individual was uninjured.

During the investigation into the fatal crash, officers located and arrested Solis later that morning. She was taken into custody with bail set at $350,000, booked into the Martinez Detention Facility and posted bail the same day.

Officers continued their investigation and presented the case to the District Attorney’s Impaired Motorist Prosecution and Crimes Team on March 17th. The IMPACT Team, a specialized unit dedicated exclusively to prosecuting serious DUI fatality and injury cases, reviewed the case and filed charges in Superior Court.

This afternoon, Solis appeared in court and entered not guilty pleas to all charges and denied all enhancements. Her next court appearance – a preliminary hearing — is scheduled for March 27th at 8:30 a.m. in Department 27 at the A.F. Bray Courthouse in Martinez.

District Attorney Diana Becton said, “Driving under the influence is a serious and entirely preventable problem. This tragic incident is exactly why the IMPACT Team exists — to hold accountable those who choose to drink and drive and, as a result, kill or injure others. We hope that greater awareness of the legal consequences leads to more people making responsible choices before getting behind the wheel.”

Case No. 01-26-01626 | The People of the State of California v. Angelina Marina Solis

See People v Angelina Marina Solis Complaint

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report

85-year-old man arrested for Bay Point homicide

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Held on $1,030,000 bail

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

Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office detectives investigating a homicide that occurred in Bay Point on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, arrested the suspect early Friday afternoon, March 13th. He is identified as 85-year-old Rogelio Barajas Martinez of Bay Point (born 6/13/1940).

He was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on one count of murder. He is being held in lieu of $1,030,000 bail. Detectives say this incident is domestic related. The investigation is ongoing.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, the five-foot, six-inch tall, 180-pound Martinez has a court appearance scheduled for Monday, March 16 at 1:30 p.m. in Martinez Superior Court Dept. 05.

Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office investigates stabbing death of woman in Bay Point

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Man also found stabbed at scene

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

Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office is investigating a homicide that occurred yesterday in Bay Point.

On Wed., March 11, 2026, at about 4:27 PM, Muir Station Deputy Sheriffs were dispatched to a home on the 100 block of Riverside Place in Bay Point for a medical call with a request for police response.

Deputies arrived and found a couple, a man and woman, suffering from stab wounds. The man was taken to a local hospital; the woman was pronounced deceased at the scene. She is not being identified at this time.

The Homicide Unit continues to investigate this case. Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to contact the Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.

Jury convicts former Walnut Creek attorney for sexual abuse of minors

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Former attorney Jonathan Dean Bishop. Photo source: AVVO.com

51-year-old Jonathan Dean Bishop victimized three minors under 14, one was under age 10 over more than 16 years; faces multiple life sentences

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office

Martinez, California – On Monday, March 2, 2026, a Contra Costa County jury convicted a former Walnut Creek real estate attorney on 27 felony counts related to the sexual abuse of children and the possession of child sexual abuse material.

Jonathan Dean Bishop, 51, (born 1/21/1975) faces multiple life sentences after being convicted on 24 counts of committing lewd acts upon three minor victims, each under the age of 14, identified in court documents as Jane Doe #1, Jane Doe #2 and Jane Doe #3. The convictions carry sentencing enhancements and cover the following periods:

  • Jane Doe #1: June 2012 – June 2021
  • Jane Doe #2: February 2012 – February 2021
  • Jane Doe #3: September 2004 – September 2014

Moreover, the jury convicted Bishop of sexually abusing Jane Doe #1, who was under 10 years old at the time, with the abuse occurring between June 5, 2010, and June 4, 2018. He was also found guilty of possessing over 600 images of child sexual abuse material depicting two of the minor victims — evidence recovered from a hard drive seized by police officers at Oakland International Airport on December 13, 2023, when Bishop was taken into custody upon arriving from Florida, where he had been residing and practicing law.

“The bravery shown by these victims was extraordinary, and their courage made this conviction possible,” said Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton. “We are grateful for the outstanding work of law enforcement and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, whose forensic and investigative efforts were critical to this case. I am also proud of our entire trial team — the Deputy District Attorney who prosecuted the case, our legal clerks, witness coordinators, victim advocates, and investigative staff — whose dedication and professionalism were evident every step of the way. Our office will always stand with the most vulnerable members of our community and remain committed to holding those who harm children accountable.”

According to the State Bar of California, Bishop was admitted to the on Dec. 1, 2004, became Inactive on Feb. 1, 2025, then on July 1st, last year he was deemed “Not eligible to practice law in CA” based on the Administrative Action of being Administrative Inactive for Client Trust Account Protection Program  noncompliance.

According to his bio on AVVO.com, “Mr. Bishop received a Bachelor of Arts degree from San Diego State University in 2000, and his law degree from Golden Gate University School of Law in 2004. Before becoming an attorney, Mr. Bishop worked in the education and investment banking industries. While in law school, Mr. Bishop interned with the San Francisco Public Defenders Office, an international intellectual property law firm located in Bangkok, Thailand and worked for the State Bar of California’s Office of Professional Competence. Mr. Bishop was also an author of the ‘Ethics Update’ article for the State Bar of California, Calbar Journal from 2002 thru 2004.”

According to lawyerdb.org, his practice areas included, “Real Estate Litigation, Construction Defects Litigation, Condominium, Construction Litigation, Real Estate/Construction Transactions, Business Litigation, Boundary Disputes, Real Estate, Conveyancing, Conservation Easements, Easements, Land Acquisitions, Business Law, Construction, Contracts, Corporate and Litigation.”

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, the five-foot, seven-inch tall, 169-pound Bishop is Hispanic, but also listed as White, and being held in the Martinez Detention Facility on no bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for April 17 at 8:30 AM in Bay Court, Richmond, Dept. 02.

Case No. 01-23-03948 | The People of the State of California v. Jonathan Dean Bishop

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

DA clears Richmond Police in fatal 2025 shooting of Angel Montaño Magallan

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Richmond Police confront Angel Alexander Montaño Magallan holding two knives as he emerges from his apartment before the fatal shooting on Aug. 4, 2025. Video capture source: Richmond PD

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office

Martinez, California – A public report on a 2025 fatal use-of-force incident involving Richmond Police has been released by the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office.

The report is the final step in a countywide protocol wherein the District Attorney’s Office conducts an independent investigation into an officer-involved fatal incident. Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton said, “The release of this report reflects my office’s commitment to transparency and accountability in the review of officer-involved shootings. We believe the public deserves a clear and thorough account of the facts surrounding these incidents, and that making our findings available to the community is essential to maintaining public trust.”

On August 4, 2025, at approximately 5:02 p.m., Richmond Police Department Dispatch received a 911 call regarding 27-year-old Angel Alexander Montaño Magallan. The caller, Magallan’s brother, reported that Magallan was armed with a knife and threatening to kill him and their mother. He also disclosed that Magallan had a history of mental illness and was living with the family in an apartment in the City of Richmond.

Multiple Richmond Police officers responded to the call and staged nearby to form a response plan. While waiting for additional resources, officers were advised that the family members could not leave the home because Magallan was blocking the front door, creating additional concerns of a possible hostage situation.

Video capture of Magallan emerging from his apartment with two knives in his hands. Source: Richmond PD

Moments later, dispatch advised officers that Magallan armed himself with two knives, prompting officers to move closer to the residence so they could quickly respond to a possible attack. As they approached, Magallan’s mother yelled out from inside the home, which caused officers to believe Magallan may be actively stabbing family members inside the home.

Upon opening the front door of the residence, Officer Nicholas Remick observed Magallan standing over his brother and mother while holding an object in his hand. Magallan immediately advanced toward Officer Remick, who could now see that Magallan was wielding a knife in each hand. Officer Remick repeatedly ordered Magallan to “stop” and retreated from the doorway, but Magallan continued to advance. It was not until Magallan had closed to within 5 to 10 feet — near enough to deliver a fatal knife strike to a retreating officer — that Officer Remick and Officer Stocking discharged their firearms, fatally striking Magallan. Officers then entered the apartment and confirmed that the remaining family members were physically unharmed.

After a review of all available facts surrounding the incident, the District Attorney’s Office finds that the use of deadly force was reasonable under the circumstances. As such, no further action will be taken in this case.

The District Attorney’s Office has sent a copy of the report to the Richmond Police Department, the California Department of Justice, and is available to the public on the Contra Costa District Attorney’s website.

See Richmond PD press release of incident, Critical Incident Video, plus, videos of officer body cam footage and other information, here.