Contra Costa Herald

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

Police report results from Richmond’s Flock Automated License Plate Reader System

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Source: Richmond PD

Since April 2023 ALPR contributed to over 270 people arrested, over 250 vehicles recovered, more

By Richmond Police Department

The Richmond Police Department is committed to transparency and protecting the information we collect to keep our community safe. We want to share an update regarding our Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system operated by Flock Safety.

Since its inception in April 2023, ALPR data has become an essential investigative tool for both patrol officers and detectives conducting follow-up investigations, providing significant public-safety benefits. ALPR data has directly contributed to:

  • The arrest of over 272 individuals involved in criminal activity
  • The identification of a suspect vehicle in 12 separate homicide cases
  • The recovery of over 258 stolen vehicles
  • More than 889 cases where ALPR information directly led to the identification of a suspect or suspect vehicle
  • Alerted officers to the presence of over 6,670 stolen vehicles in our city
  • Alerted officers to the presence of over 759 vehicles that were wanted for felony crimes in our city

These outcomes demonstrate how the responsible use of technology helps us solve crimes, locate dangerous offenders, and support victims. Without the ALPR data provided by Flock, many of these cases, including murder cases, would most likely remain unsolved.

Earlier this year, Flock Safety notified us of a system configuration error that allowed certain external law enforcement agencies to run very limited, specific license-plate searches that could have revealed small portions of Richmond’s ALPR data. This was not full-system access and affected only narrow, plate-specific queries.

The issue was unintentional and was disabled immediately upon discovery. ALPR data is only stored for 30 days, and at this time, we have no evidence that any outside agency viewed or misused Richmond’s data, including for immigration enforcement. Because multiple agencies were affected, we temporarily turned off our ALPR system until Flock Safety provides verified safeguards and assurances to prevent future issues.

The Richmond Police Department will continue to use technology responsibly and transparently, in a manner that aligns with our community’s expectations and enhances our ability to solve crimes and keep residents safe. We remain committed to protecting your privacy, being transparent, and using technology in ways that reflect Richmond’s values and expectations. We look forward to implementing enhanced safeguards and reactivating our ALPR system so it can continue to provide valuable investigative leads, hold offenders accountable, and deliver justice for victims and their families.

Police seek suspects in Brentwood veterinarian hospital burglary

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By Brentwood Police Department

On Saturday, December 6, 2025, at around 8:09 a.m., Brentwood officers were dispatched to a veterinarian hospital located on the 1200 block of Central Blvd. for a report of the business possibly being burglarized.

When officers arrived on scene they observed one of the glass doors to the business had been shattered. Officers checked the business and did not locate any suspects inside.

During the initial investigation, it was determined, based on surveillance footage, that on December 6, 2025, shortly after 6:00 a.m., two suspects broke the glass door to gain access to the business. While in the business the suspects, both wearing masks attempted to gain access to the cash register but were unsuccessful. The suspects then took specially made bags containing urns with pet ashes. The two suspects then exited the business a few minutes later through the same broken glass door and left the area by unknown means.

This investigation is ongoing and anyone with any information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact the Brentwood Police Department at 925-809-7911. Callers may remain anonymous.

62-year-old Pleasant Hill woman sentenced to prison for embezzling from charity serving young people

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Will serve over 2 years for taking over $1.6 million

Spent money on first-class airfare, Warriors game floor seats, 49ers game box seats, Hawaii condo

Restitution amount to be decided later

By Michelle Lo, PIO, U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District of California 

OAKLAND – Carrie Lynn Grant was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for embezzling over $1.6 million from a Northern California charity organization that provides educational materials and programs to prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.  U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín handed down the sentence this week.

Grant, 62, of Pleasant Hill, California, was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 22, 2024.  Grant pleaded guilty on August 11, 2025, to one count of wire fraud.  According to the plea agreement and court documents, over a period of years from November 2017 to June 2023, Grant abused her role as the finance manager of the charity, depositing charity money into her personal account while creating fraudulent records to cover her tracks.  Grant spent the money on, among other things, first-class air travel, floor seats for a Golden State Warriors game, box seats for a San Francisco 49ers game, and a condominium in Hawaii.  In total, Grant stole more than $1.6 million dollars from the non-profit organization.

United States Attorney Craig Missakian and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Agustin Lopez made the announcement.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Martínez-Olguín also sentenced the defendant to a three-year period of supervised release.  The Court will determine the amount of restitution Grant must pay at a later date.  The defendant will begin serving the sentence on March 9, 2026.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan M. Mateer is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Christine Tian and Amala James.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.

Case No. 24-cr-00403-AMO

Electronic court filings and further procedural and docket information are available at https://ecf.cand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. Judges’ calendars with schedules for upcoming court hearings can be viewed on the court’s website at www.cand.uscourts.gov.

Police departments warn community about series of East County residential burglaries

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Many by groups of juveniles

By Pittsburg Police Department

Community Advisement:

We’d like to remind everyone to keep doors locked and windows secured, especially overnight.
Detectives are currently looking into a series of residential burglaries that have occurred in Pittsburg, Antioch, Oakley, and Brentwood. In many of these incidents, groups of juveniles have entered through unlocked doors, sliding glass doors, or unsecured windows – sometimes by removing window screens. They appear to be looking primarily for vehicle keys, which has unfortunately led to several stolen vehicles.

To help keep your home and property safe, please consider placing your vehicle keys in a secure, less visible area inside your residence rather than near entryways, kitchen counters, or tables.

Our police departments are actively investigating these cases working with the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office. In the meantime, a few simple preventions steps can go a long way in helping protect our community.

Thank you for your cooperation, and please stay safe.

Concord man who sold fake Willie Mays memorabilia pleads guilty to wire fraud

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San Francisco Giants player Willie Mays in 1955 posing for the camera of an Associated Press photographer. Public domain. Source: Wikpedia

Daniel Damato faces 20 years in prison and $250,000 fine

By Michelle Lo, PIO, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California

OAKLAND – Daniel Damato pleaded guilty in federal court Monday afternoon, Dec. 8, 2025, to wire fraud in connection with his sales of fraudulent sports memorabilia.  Damato also admitted that he attempted to obstruct the FBI’s investigation into his criminal conduct.

Damato, 42, of Concord, California, was charged by information on October 20, 2025, with one count of wire fraud.  The information alleged that between 2022 and 2024, Damato, a sports memorabilia dealer, doctored and gave false provenance to valuable items to make them appear as authentic sports collectibles, and then attempted to sell the items to unsuspecting buyers at inflated prices.

In pleading guilty, Damato admitted that in 2023, he sold for $100,000 a baseball bat that he falsely represented as having been used by Willie Mays in the 1954 World Series.  Despite his assertions to the contrary, the bat Damato sold for $100,000 had not been used in the 1954 World Series and was in fact a “factory error” bat that was an inch shorter than what Mays used during his career.  After the victim buyer sent Damato $100,000 for the supposedly game-used bat, Damato did not send him anything.

Damato also sold other fraudulent items, including a jersey he falsely marketed as having been worn in a game by Mays that Damato sold for $50,000.

After the FBI executed a search warrant on his residence in October 2024, Damato contacted at least one potential witness in an attempt to obstruct the government’s investigation into his conduct.

United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Agustin Lopez made the announcement.

Damato’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 23, 2026, before District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín.  Damato faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  Any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Abraham Fine is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Amala James.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.

Case No. 25-cr-0344-AMO

Electronic court filings and further procedural and docket information are available at https://ecf.cand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. Judges’ calendars with schedules for upcoming court hearings can be viewed on the court’s website at www.cand.uscourts.gov.

Police investigate suspicious death in Hercules

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By Allen D. Payton

In a Facebook post on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, the Hercules Police Department announced they were actively investigating a suspicious death that occurred on Spinel Court, and while the investigation was ongoing, they reassured the public that there was no threat to community members at the time.

Officers and Detectives were on scene and conducted a thorough investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding this incident.

Later in the day, the Hercules PD posted, “We have successfully completed our investigation and are no longer asking community members to avoid the area. We would like to thank everyone for their cooperation during this incident and would like to once again, assure community members there is no danger or threat from this incident.”

Anyone who may have seen or heard anything, or who has information that could assist investigators, is urged to contact Detective Sgt. Tafesse at 510-799-8271 or etafesse@herculesca.gov.

Pleasanton man faces murder charge in San Ramon fatal DUI-related crash

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Traveling 120-150 MPH; held on $1.2 million bail; claimed life of Castro Valley woman

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

Martinez, California – The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office has charged a Pleasanton man with murder in a DUI-related crash in San Ramon.

27-year-old Badal Devendra Dholaria was arraigned today, December 4th at 1:30 pm in Martinez on a five-count felony complaint. In addition to the murder charge [PC 187(a)] that led to the death of a 41-year-old Castro Valley woman, Dholaria is being charged with two counts of driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage causing injury, and two counts of driving with a .08% blood alcohol content causing injury [VC23153(a) and VC23153(b)]. The DUI-related offenses each come with enhancements alleging great bodily injury both to the woman and a 40-year-old man – also from Castro Valley. (See related article)

On December 3, 2025, the San Ramon Police Department presented its findings to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office. Following their review, Dholaria was charged with one count of second-degree murder, and four counts of felony DUI. His bail has been set at $1.2 million, and he remains in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility.

District Attorney Diana Becton said, “I want to be clear: every DUI-related incident represents a choice — a choice that can kill. If you’re impaired, don’t drive. Every time you get behind the wheel under the influence, you’re gambling with lives. Whether it’s alcohol, marijuana, prescription medications, or illegal drugs, any substance that impairs your ability to operate a vehicle safely makes you a danger on our roads.”

Case No 01-25-04261| The People of the State of California v. Badal Devendra Dholaria

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, the five-feet, three-inch tall Dholaria’s is being held in the West County Detention Facility and his bail was increased from $300,000 to now $1.2 million.

According to localcrimenews.com, he was also arrested by Concord Police on Nov 16, 2025, for resisting, obstructing or delaying and evading a peace officer.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Brentwood traffic stop leads to arrest of Pittsburg woman with firearm, drugs, fake ID

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Gun, drugs and Ziploc baggies shaped and printed like $20 bills confiscated during arrest. Photo: Brentwood PD

Georgia Lee Malone held on $220,000 bail; third arrest this year

By Brentwood Police Department

Early Tuesday morning, Dec. 2, 2025, a Brentwood Police Officer conducted a traffic stop in the area of Lone Tree Way and Shady Willow Lane for a vehicle code violation. During the contact, the driver, identified as 49-year-old Georgia Lee Malone (born 7/23/1976) was found to be a convicted felon in possession of a loaded firearm, drugs, a scale, multiple Ziploc baggies shaped and printed like dollar bills, and a fake ID.

Malone was arrested and transported to the Martinez Detention Facility.

We remain committed to keeping our community safe, and proactive enforcement like this helps prevent dangerous situations before they occur.

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, the five-foot, three-inch tall, 220-pound Malone is now being held in the West County Detention Facility on $220,000 bail.

According to localcrimenews.com, Malone is Black and from Pittsburg and was previously arrested four times, including twice more this year, by Contra Costa CHP, Pleasant Hill Antioch Police Departments for petty theft: retail merchandise, receiving known stolen property over $200, possession of narcotic controlled substance, DUI alcohol/drugs, DUI with blood alcohol content level great than .08, and failure to appear on misdemeanor charge.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this article.

Former Antioch cop sentenced to 7.5 years in prison for conspiring to violate civil rights, distribute steroids, and obstructing justice

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Former Antioch Police Officer Devon Wenger rookie photo (center), Instagram photo (left) and character portraying him in a video on Instagram (right).

Devon Wenger claims he was framed, retaliated against as a whistleblower, suing police department; posts animated video on Instagram to offer his side of the story

By Michele Lo, PIO, U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District of California

OAKLAND – Former Antioch police officer Devon Christopher Wenger was sentenced today to seven-and-a-half years in federal prison for conspiring to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate residents of Antioch through the use of unreasonable force, conspiring to distribute anabolic steroids, and obstructing justice.  Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White handed down the sentence.

Wenger, 33, formerly of Oakley, California, was indicted in two separate cases.  In April 2025, following a three-day trial, a federal jury convicted Wenger on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids and one count of obstruction of justice.  In September 2025, following a seven-day trial, a jury convicted Wenger of conspiracy against rights.  Wenger was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals in September 2025 and has remained in federal custody since then.

“Devon Wenger and his co-conspirators believed the badges they wore gave them a license to break the law. They were wrong. Today, the court held Mr. Wenger accountable for his betrayal of the public trust placed in him,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian.

“Devon Wenger’s sentencing marks another significant step in a multi-year effort to uncover and confront corruption within the Antioch and Pittsburg police departments.  His conviction, along with the earlier convictions in this case, underscores that no one is above the law.  The FBI and our partners are committed to holding those who violate the civil rights of others and betray the public’s trust accountable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Agustin Lopez.

According to court documents and the evidence presented at the September 2025 trial, Wenger and two other Antioch Police Department officers, Morteza Amiri and Eric Rombough, conspired with each other and others about using excessive force against individuals in and around Antioch.  The uses and intended uses of excessive force included deployment of a police K9, deployment of a 40mm “less lethal” launcher, and other unnecessary violence.  The evidence showed that Wenger and others deployed uses of force as punishment to subjects beyond any punishment appropriately imposed by the criminal justice system.  Wenger also withheld details about uses of excessive force from police reports and other official documents.

Wenger, Amiri, and or Rombough engaged in numerous communications in furtherance of the conspiracy, including an April 2019 communication in which Wenger sent a photo and booking information for a suspect to Amiri and Rombough and requested that they “[p]lease find this guy[] and f— him in the a–.”  Rombough responded “Deal,” and Amiri responded “ill bite em.”

Later in 2019, Wenger broke the arm of a young female shoplifting suspect, then pushed her sister to the ground, handcuffed the sister, picked the sister up and grabbed her neck, and smashed the sister’s face into the side of the patrol car, as captured on video.  However, Wenger wrote in his police report that as he was escorting the sister to a patrol car, she attempted to pull away from him and that as a result of her actions she “subsequently fell onto the side of the patrol vehicle.”

In August 2020, after Amiri deployed his K9 to apprehend a suspect in Pittsburg, California, with Wenger, he wrote to Wenger “if pitt didn’t have all those body cams and that was us… we would have f—ed him up more. he didn’t get what he deserved.”  Wenger responded, “I agree.  That’s why I don’t like body cams.”  The next night, Wenger wrote to Amiri, “We need to get into something tonight bro!!  Lets go 3 nights in a row dog bite!!!”  Amiri and Wenger exchanged additional messages and bloodied photographs after engaging with another suspect that night, and following Amiri’s deployment of his K9 to bite a suspect in a homeless encampment the subsequent evening.  At the end of the week, Amiri wrote to Wenger, “let’s f— some people up next work week,” to which Wenger agreed.

According to court documents and evidence presented at the April 2025 trial, in February 2022, Wenger set up the sale of anabolic steroids, a Schedule III controlled substance, between Daniel Harris, who was at the time also an Antioch Police Department officer, and a third individual.  Law enforcement officials seized the package of anabolic steroids destined for Harris before they arrived, although Wenger continued to communicate with Harris about supplying the third individual with anabolic steroids, including offering to give this individual some of Wenger’s own while they waited for the delayed package.

On March 23, 2022, at 8:03 a.m., the FBI began calling and sending text messages to Wenger telling him that they were outside of his residence with a warrant.  It was not until 9:00 a.m. that Wenger appeared for the FBI to seize Wenger’s cellular phone. Later forensic examination of that device showed that specific entries related to the anabolic steroid distribution conspiracy had been deleted.

In addition to the prison term, Judge White also sentenced the defendant to a three-year period of supervised release.  A hearing to determine the amounts of restitution owed to victims is scheduled for January 27, 2026.

The case is being prosecuted by the National Security & Special Prosecutions Section and the Oakland Branch of the United States Attorney’s Office.  This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Office of the Contra Costa County District Attorney.

Wenger Claims He Was Framed, Retaliated Against as a Whistleblower

As previously reported by the Herald, following his conviction in April this year, the former Antioch officer shared, “I never have had anything to do with steroids. Never took them, never possessed them, and sure as heck never conspired to distribute them. I took PEPTIDES, gonadorelin to be specific. It’s legal and NOT a steroid. I took the peptides to recover from COVID, COVID almost killed me and had me in a hospital bed and left my body in shambles. I still feel the effects of it to this day and will never fully recover. The FBI even seized gonadorelin and numerous other peptides failed to disclose that.”

Further, he claimed earlier this year he’s a whistleblower being framed.

“I am innocent. I am a whistleblower facing a whistleblower retaliation prosecution to silence me. I am being framed on fabricated and tampered evidence. Yes, the FBI and the US Attorneys on this case have fabricated and tampered with evidence, in addition to misrepresenting evidence and even lying to the court, and the public. They have…gone so far as to manipulate and suppress the documents that prove this (including exculpatory evidence) in the metadata data of their own discovery documents in order to push their false narrative. The truth will surface. That’s all I can say.”

“In addition to this we have filed a civil lawsuit against APD which outlines everything they put me through which led to these bogus charges against me,” Wenger added.

(See related articles here and here)

Two-Part Report Series Supports Wenger’s Claims

In addition, a two-part series, by The Current Report, provides additional details from Wenger’s perspective which claims he “exposed misconduct inside his department in 2021.” The articles include several court and legal documents to support the former officer’s claims. See Part 1 entitled, “The Digital Frame-Up: How the FBI and Contra Costa DA Turned a Police Whistleblower into a Federal Target” and Part 2 entitled, “The Retaliation of Officer Devon Wenger: Inside Antioch PD’s Cross-Agency Cover-Up – The ‘Good Ole Boy Club’ Part 2.”

Instagram Video Posts, Tags Federal Officials

Wenger posted videos on Instagram, including an animated video using an account entitled, “Thepolicewhistleblower” on August 7, 2025, explaining his claims  against the Antioch PD, Contra Costa DA’s Office and the FBI. The account description reads, “I am a police whistleblower facing a retaliatory prosecution for upholding my oath and standing up against both federal and local LEO corruption in CA.”

In the post Wenger wrote, “This is the unfortunate reality of what happens to police officers who break the ‘blue wall of silence’ and blow the whistle on corruption. I upheld my oath and did what was right, and now I am being retaliated against, silenced, and framed by the same system I once defended with my life. I WILL NOT STOP until the TRUTH is exposed. Rest assured, the truth always comes to light, and I will NEVER compromise my integrity nor my oath, not even in the face of impossible odds. I WILL NEVER QUIT.”

Three weeks later he tagged several federal officials including President Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, Deputy Director Dan Bongino and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley and posted the following:

“So, are you guys going to look into this or are you going to allow your low level FBI agents work with local police to fabricate evidence against a police whistleblower? I don’t know how many times I have reached out to each of you with no answer nor even an acknowledgment. This is a horrific constitutional violation and as severe deprivation of rights against a police whistleblower. I upheld my oath and stood up to corruption, it has cost me everything and now I’m deprived of my whistleblower protections rights and my very constitutional rights this country was founded on. Get it together and stop covering for criminals hiding behind badges in your organization.”

On a different Instagram account, which can no longer be located, Wenger posted a video of himself and linked to the two articles by The Current Report.

Charges Part of Broader Investigation of Antioch, Pittsburg Police

The charges against Wenger were brought as part of an investigation into the Antioch and Pittsburg police departments that resulted in multiple federal charges against 10 current and former officers and employees of these two police departments for various crimes ranging from the use of excessive force to fraud.  The status of these cases, all of which are before Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White, is below:

 

Case Name and Number Statute(s) Defendant

(Bold: multiple case numbers)

 Status
Fraud

23-cr-00264

 18 U.S.C. §§ 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud; 1343 (Wire Fraud) Patrick Berhan Sentenced to 30 months custody, 2 years supervised release concurrent with 24-cr-157 on 9/5/24
Morteza Amiri Sentenced to 84 months custody, 3 years supervised release concurrent with 23-cr-269 on 6/24/25
Amanda Theodosy a/k/a Nash Sentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release 11/15/24
Samantha Peterson Sentenced to time served, 3 years supervised release 4/24/24
Ernesto Mejia-Orozco Sentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release on 9/19/24
Brauli Jalapa Rodriguez Sentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release on 10/25/24
Obstruction

23-cr-00267

 18 U.S.C. §§ 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations); 1512(c)(2) (Obstruction of Official Proceedings); 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law) Timothy Manly Williams Pleaded guilty 11/28/23, sentencing set for 1/13/2026
Steroid Distribution

23-cr-00268

 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 (Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids), 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Possession with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids) Daniel Harris Pleaded guilty 9/17/24, sentencing set for 1/13/2026
21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids);

18 U.S.C. § 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations)

 Devon Wenger Sentenced to 90 months custody, 3 years supervised release on 12/2/2025
Civil Rights

23-cr-00269

 18 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law); § 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations) Morteza Amiri Sentenced to 84 months custody, 3 years supervised release concurrent with 23-cr-264 on 6/24/25
18 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law) Eric Rombough Pleaded guilty 1/14/25, sentencing set for 1/13/2026
18 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law) Devon Wenger Sentenced to 90 months custody, 3 years supervised release on 12/2/2025
Steroid Distribution

24-cr-00157

 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Possession with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids) Patrick Berhan Sentenced to 30 months custody, 2 years supervised release concurrent with 23-cr-264 on 9/5/24
Bank fraud

24-cr-00502

 18 U.S.C. § 1344(1), (2) (Bank fraud) Daniel Harris Pleaded guilty 9/17/24, sentencing set for 1/13/2026

Further Information: Case Nos. 23-cr-0268 JSW; 23-cr-0269 JSW

Electronic court filings and further procedural and docket information are available at https://ecf.cand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. Judges’ calendars with schedules for upcoming court hearings can be viewed on the court’s website at www.cand.uscourts.gov.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

 

Pleasanton man arrested for fatal DUI collision in San Ramon

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Claims life of 41-year-old Castro Valley woman

Suspect held on $300,000 bail

By Ashley Moore, San Ramon Police Department

On November 29, 2025, at approximately 3:23 p.m., San Ramon Police officers responded to a two-vehicle collision on Crow Canyon Road involving a Ford Bronco and a Tesla Model 3.

A 41-year-old Castro Valley woman in the Ford Bronco sustained fatal injuries in the collision. The driver was taken to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, treated, and released.

Preliminary investigation indicates the collision was caused by the driver of the Tesla Model 3, Badal Devendra Dholaria, a 27-year-old Pleasanton resident, (born 9/1/1998) who is suspected of driving under the influence. Dholaria was taken into custody at the scene and booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on charges of vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence.

We are not releasing the victim’s name out of respect for the family’s privacy. Our heartfelt condolences go out to those affected by this tragic incident.

This remains an active and ongoing investigation. Anyone who witnessed the collision or has additional information is urged to contact the San Ramon Police Department at 925-973-2779.

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, the five-foot, three-inch tall, 120-pound Dholaria is now being held in the West County Detention Facility on $300,000 bail.

According to localcrimenews.com, he was also arrested by Concord Police on Nov 16, 2025, for resisting, obstructing or delaying and evading a peace officer.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.