Contra Costa Herald

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

Sheriff’s Office Crime Lab receives state grant to purchase new breath alcohol analyzers

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The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff is pleased to announce that it has received a $324,000 California Office of Traffic Safety grant to purchase new breath alcohol analyzers, which are routinely used to test the breath alcohol content of drivers suspected by police to be under the influence.

The Sheriff’s Office Crime Laboratory is responsible for ensuring breath alcohol analyzers are working properly and providing accurate test results. The “DUI Breath Alcohol Instrumentation” grant will fund the purchase of 24 new breath alcohol analyzers replacing the ones that are currently in use by law enforcement agencies throughout the county.

“The replacement of the older breath alcohol analyzers ensures that the Sheriff’s Crime Laboratory continues to maintain the highest quality analyses in driving under the influence of alcohol cases,” said Chief Pam Hofsass of the Sheriff’s Office Forensic Services Division. “This is part of our effort at making our streets, roads, and freeways safer by reducing the numbers of people killed or injured in alcohol related traffic collisions.”

The grant includes training for approximately 4,000 law enforcement personnel on the theory and operation of the new breath alcohol analyzers. The roll-out of the new analyzers, including training of law enforcement personnel and validation of the breath alcohol analyzers, is anticipated to take approximately one year.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Grayson releases statement on shooting of Concord Police Department office

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Concord Councilmember and State Assembly candidate Tim Grayson released a statement on Monday regarding the weekend shooting that left bullet holes in the office of the Concord Police Department.

“I am thankful no one was hurt, but this is a stark reminder of the dangers officers face every day when they are serving their communities,” Grayson said. “As Police Chaplain I’ve seen firsthand how guns in the wrong hands can ruin lives. Our leaders need to be doing more to responsibly reduce gun violence. Ensuring public safety is a priority for me, and in Sacramento I will work to make sure our families and communities are safe.”

An investigation in to the shooting is ongoing.

Grayson has served as Concord’s Police Chaplain, aiding first responders and crime victims, since 2007 and has served on Concord’s City Council since 2010.

More information on Tim’s work is available at www.graysonforassembly.com.

Treasure Island man arrested in Oakley area child molestation case

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Lafayette Thomas

Lafayette Thomas

Detectives from the Sexual Assault Unit of the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff Investigation Division have arrested 21-year-old Lafayette Thomas of San Francisco following an investigation.

Alleged acts of molestation that occurred in August in unincorporated Oakley were brought to the attention of the Office of the Sheriff. Detectives immediately launched an investigation and confirmed them. Thomas was arrested last Thursday, September 22, 2016.

Thomas was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on three counts of child molestation and one count of sexual battery. He is being held in lieu of $205,000 bail.

Thomas, who lives on Treasure Island, is known to frequent parks in San Francisco, including Golden Gate Park. Detectives believe there may be additional victims. Thomas is known to inappropriately contact children in parks.

Anyone with any information is asked to call (925) 313-2625. For any tips, please email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.

Sheriff’s Office investigates carjacking near Danville, Wednesday night

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On Wednesday, September 28, 2016, at about 11:35 PM, Valley Station Deputy Sheriffs were dispatched to a report of a carjacking at a residence on the 4300 block of Conejo Drive in unincorporated Danville.

Two armed suspects apparently entered the victim’s garage after he arrived home. One of the suspects stole some of the victim’s personal belongings and a black colored 2014 Honda Pilot SUV. The second suspect got into a white colored sedan with paper license plates.

The vehicles fled westbound onto Camino Tassajara and Sycamore Valley Road. Danville Police Officers spotted both vehicles as they approached Highway 680 and initiated pursuits of both vehicles. The pursuit went onto northbound 680 and westbound on Highway 24 before being terminated.

The carjacked Honda Pilot was later found abandoned in the city of Oakland in the area of Oakland Avenue and Pearl Street.

The suspects remain outstanding. The victim was not injured. The investigation is continuing. Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to contact the Office of the Sheriff at (925) 313-2600. For tips, email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.

Suspects wore Halloween masks in Orinda robbery and shooting, Monday night

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Orinda Police are continuing to investigate a robbery and shooting that occurred Monday night.

At about 9:09 PM, police were dispatched to a medical call at a residence on the first block of Claremont Avenue. A woman was apparently shot in front of her house during an armed robbery by two suspects who were said to be wearing “Halloween style masks.”

The victim, who was suffering from gunshot wounds, was taken to a local hospital and is said to be in stable condition. A male victim, who was pistol-whipped, was treated at a hospital and later released. Both victims are Orinda residents. The suspects fled on foot with the victims’ personal property.

Officers, assisted by a police K-9 and a helicopter, conducted a search for the suspects. They were not located.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to contact the Orinda Police Department at (925) 254-6820. For any tips, please email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.

 

D.A. charges Ohio man in Tuesday’s Bay Point home invasion robbery

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The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office has filed formal charges against 31-year-old Gregory Williamson of Ohio in connection with a home invasion robbery that occurred in Bay Point on Tuesday. The charges include kidnapping, home invasion robbery, and two counts of assault with a firearm.

On Tuesday, at about 1:41 PM, Deputy Sheriffs responded to the 100 block of Crivello Avenue in Bay Point for a report of a shooting. When Deputies arrived, they found a gunshot victim outside the location. It was later determined that he was one of two suspects who had apparently come to the location to commit an armed robbery. He was later identified as Williamson.

Williamson and another suspect allegedly committed the robbery after kidnapping the homeowner at gunpoint in her driveway and forcing her into the home. Several of the occupants in the home were tied up and forced into a room.

During the robbery, gunfire was exchanged. One of the occupants in the home was allegedly shot by the suspects. His wounds were not life-threatening and he was treated and released from the hospital.

Williamson was located outside the home suffering from a gunshot wound and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. He was arraigned this afternoon and will be transferred to the Martinez Detention Facility upon release from the hospital.

One suspect remains outstanding at this time. The investigation into this incident is ongoing.

Anyone who has any information on this incident is asked to immediately contact the Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, please email:tips@so.cccounty.us or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.

Assemblywoman Baker’s domestic violence bill signed by governor

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Assemblywoman Catharine Baker (R-San Ramon) announced, last week, that Governor Brown signed her bill, AB 1399, legislation increasing available resources for programs serving victims of domestic violence.

Programs helping victims of domestic violence provide essential, life-saving services to victims and their children. These programs have faced a significant funding shortfall in recent years. AB 1399 will help direct much-needed funding support for these programs through a donation option on California tax returns to the California Domestic Violence Fund. Tax filers can check off a box on their tax returns to contribute their own private funds in excess of their tax liability to organizations supporting victims of domestic violence.

“An increasing need for domestic violence programs throughout California has been met with a decrease in funding for these programs—leaving thousands of children and families without the support they need,” said Assemblywoman Baker. “Government can’t and shouldn’t do it all. AB 1399 efficiently increases the availability of vital resources by providing Californians with the opportunity to contribute to life-saving domestic violence programs.”

On just a single day in 2014, 1,216 requests for services from domestic violence victims went unmet in California, leaving thousands of individuals, children, and families without a safe place to stay or access to vital counseling and resources. Of those unmet needs, approximately 49% of programs report that victims return to their abuser, 37% report that victims become homeless, and 16% report that families end up living in their car.

AB 1399 received unanimous bipartisan support in both the Assembly and the Senate prior to being signed by the Governor.

Baker’s bill is supported by the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, the Center for Domestic Peace, the Alliance for Community Transformations, the Center for Community Solutions, Safe Alternatives to Violent Environments-SAVE, the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault, and Junior Leagues of California.

Baker represents the 16th Assembly District, which includes the communities of Alamo, Danville, Dublin, Lafayette, Livermore, Moraga, Orinda, Pleasanton, San Ramon, and Walnut Creek.

DA Peterson comments on sex scandal involving police officers, sheriff’s deputies

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The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office has received many requests from the media for comments concerning the scandal involving police officers and sheriff’s deputies from throughout the Bay Area. At the center of these allegations is a young woman who alleges she had had sexual encounters with up to 30 local law enforcement officers, and that some of these encounters occurred when she was 17 years of age.

Recently, we’ve been made aware of additional allegations of possible criminal conduct here in Contra Costa County.  We’ve been working collaboratively with our law enforcement partners, and we are reviewing that evidence and those allegations.  However, we have not yet completed our own investigation into this matter.

District Attorney Peterson stated “It goes without saying that our office will always investigate any alleged sexual assault or human trafficking crimes that occur within our county, and we’re committed to holding anyone who committed such crimes in Contra Costa County accountable for their actions.”

 

County Sheriff Deputies investigate Saturday morning shooting death of Bay Point man

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Saturday morning, September 17, 2016 at about 4:32 a.m., Deputy Sheriffs were dispatched to a shooting on the first block of Bay Drive in Bay Point.

Upon arrival Deputies found a 20-year-old Bay Point man in a vehicle. He was suffering from gunshot wounds. He was later pronounced deceased on scene by the fire department. The victim is not being identified at this time.

The investigation into this homicide is ongoing.

Anyone with any information on this case is asked to contact the Office of the Sheriff at (925) 646-2441. For any tips, please email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.