Contra Costa Herald

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

Oakley arson suspect arrested for Brentwood fires after monthslong investigation

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Arson suspect from Oakley arrested by Brentwood Police Detectives on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022. Photos: Brentwood PD

Torched car, damaged yard of home with Molotov cocktail

By Brentwood Police Department

On Nov. 26, 2021, an unoccupied vehicle was torched in the area of Viola Court and Wildflower Loop in Brentwood and on Dec. 30, 2021, the side yard of a home in the 500 block of Foxglove Court was damaged with a Molotov cocktail. Both incidents involved the same victim and fire personnel confirmed the fires were a result of arson. Through the course of the investigation, the victim stated he knew the suspect, later identified as Justin Eric MartinSilva, a 25-year-old Oakley resident.

Brentwood PD Detectives confirmed these were targeted incidents involving MartinSilva. On Feb. 3, 2022, Brentwood PD Detectives conducted a search warrant related to this investigation at a residence located in the 1300 block of Gamay Circle in Oakley; where MartinSilva resides and was subsequently placed under arrest for several charges, primarily arson and possession of arson material.

On Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office filed charges against MartinSilva for: Arson, Possession of arson material, possession of explosive device with intent to injure, and other charges. As of today, Saturday, Feb. 12, MartinSilva is still in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility with bail set at $625,000.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Man arrested in Pittsburg with “ghost gun” Wed. night, arrested again Thurs. night with “ghost gun” parts

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Ghost gun parts and other items confiscated from the suspect during his second arrest in two nights on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022. Photo: Pittsburg PD

K-9 officer assists in the arrest detecting the odor of ammunition, explosives; police, DA asked why suspect was released

2/14/22 UPDATE: DA claims Pittsburg PD has offered no report of arrest night before, won’t respond to “multiple inquiries”

By Pittsburg Police Department

Last night, Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, one of our proactive graveyard officers conducted a traffic enforcement stop for CVC (vehicle code) violations on Railroad Avenue. Upon contacting the driver, he was recognized as being previously arrested the night before for being in possession of a “ghost gun”.

K9 Kyra responded to the traffic stop to assist, which resulted in her alerting on the trunk of the vehicle (smelling/locating/detecting the odor of ammunition/explosives). A search of the vehicle was ultimately conducted, which resulted in officers locating 1 pound of marijuana, as well a large capacity magazine and ammunition. The driver was placed under arrest for the on-view charges.

However, officers weren’t done just yet. A search warrant was later authorized and served at the arrestee’s residence by multiple swing shift and graveyard officers. Upon searching the residence, multiple firearm manufacturing kits, high-capacity magazines, heroin, an assault rifle, and miscellaneous “ghost gun” parts were found. The driver had several additional felony charges added to his booking sheet and was transported to county jail.

Our officers are notorious for going the extra mile to making our city a safer place to be, along with our 4-legged furry partners.

A call was made to Pittsburg PD Investigations and an email was sent Saturday to Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton asking why the man was back out on the street to commit more crimes on Thursday following his arrest the night before.

2/14/22 UPDATE: DA’s Office Responds, Claims Can’t Get Response from Pittsburg PD

In response on Monday, Feb. 14, Simon O’Connell, Contra Costa County Chief Assistant District Attorney wrote in an email, “The suspect was booked in custody just after midnight Thursday 2/10 following a probable cause arrest by the Pittsburg Police Department. Today, Monday 2/14 the Pittsburg Police Department presented that arrest to the District Attorney’s Office for filing review and prosecution.

O’Connell further offered that, “generally speaking with regard to pre-filing custody or release, the District Attorney is not party to the decision by an officer book or release a suspect who is arrested on probable cause.  The decision to arrest or cite release is that of the arresting agency. If a judge approves the probable cause, the arresting agency will then present the case for any in custody filing. The District Attorney’s Office is responsible for filing criminal charges when submitted for prosecutorial review.  Once charges are filed, the arraignment court judge will review the bail set at filing along with Probation Department’s recommendation regarding continued custody.”

As of Tuesday, Feb. 15 Pittsburg PD has not yet responded to the call from the Herald about the arrest the night before and why the suspect was released.

Please check back for any additional updates to this report.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Pittsburg Police arrest Antioch man, Sacramento woman in September 2021 homicide of two women

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Another Antioch man is wanted; victims were Pittsburg and San Leandro residents

By Pittsburg Police Department

Early Sunday morning, September 19, 2021, shortly before 6:30 A.M., Pittsburg Police Officers responded to the 7-11 store at 4600 Century Boulevard regarding a shooting. As officers arrived, they located a car parked in front of the business with two women inside. Both women were suffering from gunshot wounds to the upper torso. Unfortunately, 23-year-old San Leandro resident Courtnee Allen and 21-year-old Pittsburg resident Angelique Abercrombie died due to their injuries.

Initially, there was limited information for detectives to work with or identify the responsible in this case. Over the past few months, members of the Investigations Division, including the Pittsburg Police Department VICE Team, worked diligently to identify several subjects involved. After completing numerous interviews and working through a vast amount of evidence, detectives identified 28-year-old Lonnie Stewart of Antioch, 22-year-old Destiny Boyd of Sacramento, and 20-year-old Jordan Pierre Crear of Antioch as being involved in the incident. Crear was identified as the subject who shot and killed Courtney and Angelique. Detectives are continuing to determine the motive for the shooting.

Last week detectives presented the case to the Contra Costa County District Attorney for review. The DA charged all three subjects for Murder with enhancements. Boyd was arrested late last week in Elk Grove and is currently in custody on $3,000,000 bail. Wednesday, Crear was located and arrested at his home in Antioch and remains in custody with a $7,000,000 bail. A $3,000,000 warrant is issued for Stewart, and detectives are working to locate him.

The Pittsburg Police Department would like to thank our citizens and business community for their support during this investigation.

Oakley woman missing under suspicious circumstances since Thursday

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Alexis Gabe – Missing fliers have been posted throughout East County. Source: Oakley PD

Last seen in Antioch, fliers posted throughout community

By Oakley Police Department

The Oakley Police Department received a call of a missing person, under suspicious circumstances, on January 27, 2022. The missing person is identified as Alexis Gabe, 24, of Oakley. She was last seen on Benttree Way in Antioch.

Gabe is described as an Asian female, 5’7”, 170 pounds and last known to be wearing a white tank top, silver/black hooded sweatshirt, black pants and green/white shoes.

Oakley Police patrol personnel and detectives began immediate efforts to locate Gabe. The Oakley Police Department has been in contact with Gabe’s family and have spoken to key people who were last known to be with her. The efforts to locate Gabe are continuing as detectives analyze evidence and patrol personnel continue to field tips and conduct physical searches for Gabe.

Posters of Gabe have been posted throughout East County over the past two days.

Please report any credible sightings of Gabe, or any information that will lead to her discovery by calling the Oakley Police Department at 925-625-8060.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Antioch man arrested for Brentwood bank robbery

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Brandon Elder arrest on Jan. 26, 2022. Photo: Brentwood PD

Bail set at $150,000

By Brentwood Police Department

1/27/22 UPDATE: The The suspect in the bank robbery that occurred at Tri Counties Bank in Brentwood on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, at approximately 1:30 p.m.has been identified as Brandon Elder, 26-year-old Antioch resident.

Following the preliminary investigation, Elder was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility for robbery, felony reckless evading, and several outstanding arrest warrants. In addition to the arrest warrants, Elder remains in-custody with bail set in the amount of $150,000.

On Wednesday, January 26, 2022, at approximately 1:30 p.m., Brentwood officers responded to a reported robbery at the Tri Counties Bank located at 2400 Sand Creek Road. The suspect, described as a white male, in his 20’s early 30’s, wearing all dark clothing and a dark facemask, gave the bank teller a demand note before leaving in a vehicle with an undisclosed amount of money. No weapon was seen during the robbery and nobody was injured.

A Brentwood officer in the immediate area located and pursued the suspect vehicle westbound on Highway 4 at Lone Tree Way. The vehicle pursuit continued into Antioch where the suspect abandoned the vehicle in the 2100 block of Peppertree Way without injuring others. The suspect fled on foot, but after an extensive search was taken into custody.

This investigation is ongoing and no additional information is being released at this time. Special thanks to Antioch PD staff for their assistance.

There is no threat to public safety.

Anyone with additional information related to this robbery investigation who has not already been interviewed is asked to contact Detective Agostinho at 925-809-7870. Callers may remain anonymous.

 

San Pablo man sentenced to more than 19 years for producing child pornography

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Then 38-year-old defendant recorded his sexual abuse of 16-year-old female high school student; admits to other sex crimes

OAKLAND – Ranbir Singh was sentenced Wednesday to 230 months in prison in Oakland federal court today for the production of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King.  The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr.

“No statute of limitations exists for federal child pornography crimes, including the production of child pornography,” said United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds.  “This tragic child sexual abuse occurred nine years ago, yet we still obtained justice for these victims.  Their strength and perseverance in coming forward enabled our successful result.  For those who suffered at any time from a similar crime, please find the strength to come forward as these victims did.”

“HSI special agents worked closely with Richmond Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California to hold Singh accountable for the production of child sexual abuse material which involved the exploitation of a 16-year-old victim,” said Tatum King, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Francisco. “Singh’s sentence will hopefully bring closure to the impacted victims and their families so they can begin the process of healing after surviving this horrible crime.”

Singh, 47, of San Pablo, California, pleaded guilty on September 15, 2021, to one count of production of child pornography.  In his plea agreement, Singh admitted that on March 13, 2013, he engaged in sexual acts in an Alameda County hotel room with a female high school student.  At the time, the minor female was 16 years old.  He was 38 years old. The plea agreement describes that Singh set up a video camera in the hotel room before the crime occurred.  Singh then persuaded the minor female to engage in sex acts.  Singh positioned the camera, he admitted, to record the acts.  The minor female repeatedly protested during sex and told Singh to stop, but he continued. (See related article)

Singh further admitted that earlier, in January 2013, he video-recorded the same minor female sitting in a car’s backseat in a compromising and exposed sexual position.

In a memo filed for sentencing, the government describes that Singh first contacted the minor female on Facebook after he observed her at a local temple when she was 14 years old.  He made in-person contact with her when she was 15 years old.  At that time Singh told her he was in his 20s, despite being 38 and married with three children.  In the months that followed, Singh picked up the minor female from her high school after classes or during breaks.  He made ongoing attempts to pressure her into sexual acts.  The sexual contact eventually occurred when the minor female was 16, a high school junior.

Singh also admitted in his plea agreement that he traveled later, in May 2013, to a casino hotel in Placer County with a different minor female.  Singh admitted he knew this female was also a minor.  The government’s sentencing memo describes that Singh enticed the minor female onto the trip using a ruse about tickets to a concert.  Singh admitted in his plea agreement that he rented a casino hotel room for them and then showed this minor female a video recording depicting Singh’s sexual acts with the other minor female described above.  Singh admitted he engaged in sex with this minor female in the Placer County casino hotel room.

Singh’s conduct traumatized both minor female victims, as the government’s sentencing memo describes.  The first victim suffered severe adverse consequences that have become well documented.  The second victim could not, years later, describe what happened in the Placer County hotel without weeping uncontrollably.

The initial federal charges were brought against Singh in a complaint filed March 1, 2021.  The complaint reflects that a local law enforcement investigation began when the two minor female victims came forward, but they did not know Singh’s true name.  After determining his identity, and years after Singh had sexually abused these minor victims, the video recordings were discovered on Singh’s laptop, having been stored there for years.

The federal investigation began when the video recordings were discovered on Singh’s laptop.  There is no federal statute of limitations for charges relating to child pornography crimes, including production of child pornography, under 18 U.S.C. § 3299.

In addition to the 230 month prison term, United States District Judge Haywood S. Gilliam Jr. sentenced Singh, who was in custody at the sentencing hearing, to a 15 year term of supervised release to follow his release from prison.  He began serving his prison sentence immediately.

Jonathan U. Lee is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who prosecuted the case, with the assistance of Leeya Kekona, Kay Konopaske, and Kathleen Turner.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Richmond Police Department.

This federal case was brought in U.S. District Court as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

 

Victim of New Year’s Eve shooting at Concord mall was trying to help robbery victim

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By Concord Police Department

On December 31st at 3:44 p.m. the Concord Police Department was sent to the Sun Valley Mall, Lower level for a reported shooting.

Officers located one person who had been shot and he was transported to a local hospital where he is in critical, but stable condition. Initial investigation found this to be a robbery of an individual inside the mall. During the robbery a person trying to assist the robbery victim was shot by the suspects who fled the mall.

The mall was placed on lockdown and evacuated.

Read more and see videos in reports by ABC7 News and KPIX5 CBS SF Bay Area.

This is an ongoing investigation which is being investigated by the Concord Police Department, Major Crimes Unit and no other information is being released at this time.

If you have any details or were a witness to this shooting please call the Concord Police Department confidential “tip line” at (925) 603-5836.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

 

Contra Costa DA announces restorative justice program U.S. DOJ found to be moderately effective or worse

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By Allen Payton

The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office announced, last Friday, their new Neighborhood Restorative Partnership program. It is a voluntary, neighborhood-focused, restorative justice initiative addressing root causes of criminal behavior, reducing recidivism, enhancing community relationships, and promoting public safety and quality of life. The NRP is a program in which eligible individuals are given an opportunity to take responsibility and repair the harm they caused through a community-based process, instead of a courtroom.

This program is:

  • A community-based pre-filing program.
  • A program designed to give individuals an opportunity to take responsibility and repair harm they cause.
  • And will consist of community volunteers trained as panelists to find solutions that help address the harm caused by these offenders and by focusing on restoring all who have been impacted.

U.S. DOJ Study Found “Moderate” and Lower Program Results

A U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs study, published in 2017, that “systematically reviewed all available research that, at a minimum, compared participants in a restorative justice program to participants processed traditionally by the juvenile justice system”, found that such programs had a “moderate reduction in future delinquent behavior” and the “results were smaller for the more credible random assignment studies”.

“Abstract – The distinctive feature of restorative justice programs is the objective of addressing the causes of the offender’s delinquent behavior while remedying the harms caused to the victims. A fundamental component of restorative justice programs is some form of dialog or interaction between the offender and the victim or a victim surrogate, with some programs extending participation to family and community members. Examples of restorative justice programs include victim-offender mediation, family group conferencing, and sentencing circles. Also, some routine practices of the juvenile justice system such as restitution are consistent with restorative justice principles, and some programs incorporate some aspect of the framework, such as teen courts. This systematic meta-analysis of evaluation research on restorative justice programs identified 99 publications, both published and unpublished, reporting on the results of 84 evaluations nested within the 60 unique research projects or studies. From these studies, the meta-analysis extracted results related to delinquency, non-delinquency, and outcomes for the youth and victims participating in these programs. Overall, the evaluations of restorative justice programs and practices showed a moderate reduction in future delinquent behavior relative to more traditional juvenile court processing; however, these results were smaller for the more credible random assignment studies, which raises concerns about the robustness of this overall result. Additional high-quality research of such programs is warranted, given the promising but uncertain findings. 14 tables, 30 figures, and search notes”

Questions for DA Becton & Program Coordinator

Both District Attorney Diana Becton and program coordinator and Janet Era, Assistant Investigator/Facility K9 Handler with the DA’s office, were asked the following questions about the program on Monday:

Do you have more details about the Neighborhood Restorative Partnership that you can share?

How will the community-based process work? Is it just for juveniles or adults, too?

How many panelists per neighborhood panel? When and where will the panels meet?

How can you assure an individual that is the focus of the effort will actually attend their meeting with the neighborhood panel?

What percentage of individuals assigned to such programs actually show up for their neighborhood panel meeting? If they do, what are the kinds of assignments that can be ordered by the panel for the individual to “to take responsibility and repair the harm they caused”? Who provides the enforcement to ensure the assignment is completed?

Are the assignments based on a negotiated agreement with the individual and victims?

What if there are costs involved to repair the harm they caused will the individual be required to pay those costs? What if they can’t afford to do that, will the costs be paid for by the program?

Once the assignment is completed, what happens next? Is their record expunged?

How much will the program cost?

Finally, are you aware of the US DOJ study published in 2017 showing such programs for juveniles have a moderate impact or less?

Program Coordinator Responds

In an email response received, today, Era wrote, “The Neighborhood Restorative Justice Partnership (NRP) is an adult diversion program. NRP provides an opportunity for the participant to resolve their case in the community as opposed to a courtroom, by utilizing restorative justice practices. Offenders are given an opportunity to take responsibility and repair the harm they caused through a community-based resolution process.

NRP provides an opportunity for the victim to be heard and for the community to participate in the resolution process. We anticipate three panelists per panel. Eligible cases are diverted by the District Attorney’s Office into the NRP program. While participation is voluntary, participants must be willing to take accountability for their actions that caused the harm. Each case is unique; therefore, panelists will prepare individualized obligation plans for each participant.

Upon successful completion of the program, criminal charges will not be filed. NRP will track recidivism of the participants who complete the program for a period of 24 months. We have shadowed other agencies in other counties, including Yolo County, Los Angeles City Attorney, and San Francisco County. These counties have published a high rate of success at reducing recidivism. If the individual does not complete the program, criminal charges will be filed by the District Attorney’s office.

The procedures, guidelines, and logistics for the Neighborhood Restorative Justice Partnership are still under development. Participation is voluntary and confidential. There are no program fees, however there may be costs associated with repairing the harm caused by the individual.”

Program Contact Information

If interested in becoming a panelist with the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office please complete an application and send to:

Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office

Attn: Janet Era, Assistant Investigator/Facility K9 Handler

Neighborhood Restorative Partnership

900 Ward Street, 2nd Floor

Martinez, CA 94553

DA-NRP@contracostada.org

Click on this link for a copy of Application

Click on this link to view NRP Flyer

Contra Costa Supervisors appoint Ellen McDonnell as county’s new public defender

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Makes permanent position for Interim Public Defender after 20 years with the department; will earn $433,641 in annual salary and benefits

New Contra Costa Public Defender Ellen McDonnell. Source: CCPD

By Allen Payton

As previously reported, during their final meeting of the year on Tuesday, the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors promoted Interim Public Defender Ellen McDonnell as Contra Costa Public Defender at an annual salary of $340,510 in addition to $93,131 in pension annual compensation.  She will officially take over the role of Public Defender from the retiring Robin Lipetzky effective Jan. 1, 2022.

She started with the department in 2001 and will oversee a $36 million budget and 145 employees.

McDonnell holds a Juris Doctors degree from California Hastings College of the Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree and double major in Spanish and Italian from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.

She has been a member of the California State Bar since 2011.

When reached for comment District 1 Supervisor John Gioia showered praise on the county’s new public defender.

“Ellen has been at the department for several years, so, it’s great to elevate to the top position someone who has worked their way up in the department,” he said. “She understands the issues, has support of her staff and will be a great public defender.”

“Ellen understands the constitutional balance in our system, for those who are accused, so innocent people aren’t convicted,” Gioia continued. “She has been very involved in re-entry solutions. She and the department have helped individuals successfully, and safely, return to housing and employment, which lowers the chance of repeating offenses and keeps the community safer.”

McDonnell had been serving as the Interim Public Defender for Contra Costa County since August, she shared. According to the Contra Costa Public Defenders’ website,  during her two decades at CCPD, Ellen has specialized in representing clients in serious felony cases, been the public face of the office throughout the community and the local criminal court system, and led a dramatic expansion in innovative and holistic defense programs. Most recently, as Chief Assistant, she managed CCPD’s operations and oversaw the office’s divisions. As Interim Public Defender, Ellen stewards the office’s commitment to client advocacy, high-quality litigation, and holistic defense.

“I’m so honored to have been appointed by the Board of Supervisors with the recommendation of County Administrator Monica Nino,” McDonnell said. “I am thankful for their leadership and the trust that they’re placing in me with this appointment.”

“I’m excited to continue to lead an office of highly skilled and talented attorneys, investigators, social workers, legal assistants and clerical staff, and continue to serve the community of Contra Costa,” she continued.

“The mission of the Public Defender’s office is to vigorously defend our clients at all stages of the criminal justice process,” McDonnell shared. “A core part of our mission is also to bring our clients back into the community with support that leads to better outcomes for those we represent, their families and the community at large. We do that by connecting our clients with community-based solutions for housing, employment, healthcare and mental health resources.”

“When we look at the whole person in stabilizing individuals, we play a critical role in contributing to public safety,” she concluded. “Our office will remain committed to addressing racial disparities in the local criminal legal system and implementing new, needed, legal reforms.”

Since becoming interim public defender, McDonnell has been and will continue serving on the county’s Racial Justice Oversight Body which focuses on that commitment.

Ellen joined CCPD in 2001 after receiving her Juris Doctorate from UC Hastings College of Law, where she was a member of the Hastings Law Review. She represented clients with misdemeanors and felony cases, and has tried numerous homicide and life cases. Ellen is a skilled trial attorney and a fierce advocate, especially for those suffering from mental health conditions.

Ellen led the expansion of CCPD’s Clean Slate program and spearheaded community outreach efforts in response to the passage of Proposition 47 in 2014. Ellen coordinated and led numerous Clean Slate Day community events. She collaborated with justice system stakeholders and community-based organizations in order to assist thousands of community members in clearing their records and providing a path to rehabilitation.

Ellen has been at the forefront of implementing legislated criminal justice reforms in the Contra Costa legal system, including Prop 47, Prop 64, Felony Murder Reform, and Bail Reform. Through Ellen’s leadership, Contra Costa County has seen a reduction of incarceration rates, improved sentence equity, the minimization of court-imposed debt, and the elimination of barriers for impacted people.

Ellen has also collaborated with local groups working towards a more just and safer Contra Costa.  These include the county’s Pretrial Services work group, Contra Costa LEAD diversion Local Advisory Committee (LAC), the Prerelease Planning work group, the Smart Reentry Task Force, the Alliance to End Abuse Core Project Team, and the Steering Committee for the Reentry Success Center.

Ellen helmed CCPD’s holistic defense approach.  She expanded the scope and reach of the office’s services through grant funded programs, garnering state and federal recognition as a model for other defender organizations.  In 2016, Ellen became the supervisor of the office’s reentry programs unit, managing CCPD’s AB109 budget and securing philanthropic and governmental funding for reentry services. Ellen also launched the Early Representation Program (EarlyRep) dedicated to preventing failures to appear in court and diverting cases from the criminal justice system. EarlyRep was awarded the Defender Program of Year by the California Public Defender Association in 2019.

Ellen secured funding to launch the Holistic Intervention Partnership (HIP), a collaborative public-private partnership which offers intensive case management, funding for housing services, and other critical resources to those impacted by our criminal legal system. CCPD was one of only two Public Defender’s Offices in the state to receive Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) funding for innovation in indigent defense.

Ellen is regularly invited to speak about holistic defense and implementing criminal justice reforms.  She has presented to many groups including the California Judicial Council, the US Department of Justice, National Legal Aid and Defender Association (NLADA) Chief Defender Council, and the American Society of Criminology.

Ellen was appointed by the Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court to the Judicial Council’s Price of Justice Initiative: Ability to Pay Workgroup, the Futures Traffic Workgroup, and the Traffic Advisory Committee.  She was also appointed as a member of the Executive Steering Committee of the State Board of Community Corrections tasked with making recommendations for Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) funding.

Ellen, who grew up in West Virginia and Florida, is a resident of Walnut Creek, where she lives with her husband and two children. Ellen speaks fluent Spanish, and she is proud to be a lifelong Contra Costa Public Defender.

Dan Borsuk contributed to this report.

Contra Costa DA charges woman who struck and killed Lafayette crossing guard in September

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The Contra Costa County Office of the District Attorney has filed charges against Phyllis Meehan pursuant to Vehicle Code Section 192(c)(1) in the death of Stanley Middle School crossing guard, Ashley Steven Dias, age 45.

“This tragic incident has impacted an entire community,” said District Attorney Diana Becton. “The loss of Ashley Dias is a solemn reminder that drivers must exercise caution and care when children and pedestrians are present.”

September 8, 2021, Phyllis Meehan, 78 years old, was picking up her grandson from the Lafayette Middle School when she collided with a vehicle and proceeded to accelerate into a crosswalk. Witnesses observed Mr. Dias pushed a student out of the path of the GMC Yukon before the crossing guard was fatally struck by the driver. The student suffered significant scrapes and bruises. Mr. Dias succumbed to his injuries later that afternoon.

According to the Lafayette Police Department, “At 3:00pm today (9/8/21) on School Street at Paradise Court a vehicle struck one adult and one child, the child had minor injuries and the adult was transported to the hospital.”

ABC7 News reported the child will survive, and that the driver remained at the scene and cooperated with police.

An arraignment date has yet to be scheduled. The copy of the complaint and charges can be viewed, here:

Case information: Docket Number 01-197752-9

Allen Payton contributed to this report.