Contra Costa Herald

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

Stolen car pursuit in San Pablo ends in fatal accident Tuesday morning

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Driver from Richmond died at the scene

By San Pablo Police Department

On Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, at 8:00 a.m., officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a reported stolen vehicle driving in the 14500 block of San Pablo Avenue. The driver failed to yield and a pursuit was initiated north-bound on San Pablo Avenue. Officers subsequently canceled the pursuit due to the unsafe reckless driving of the stolen vehicle. Within a short time, officers discovered the stolen vehicle was involved in a collision with another vehicle traveling south-bound on San Pablo Avenue just north of the Richmond Parkway.

Officers located the driver of the stolen vehicle, a 25-year-old Richmond resident, at the scene of the collision site and began administering life-saving measures. Tragically the subject succumbed to his injuries on scene.

The occupant of the second involved vehicle, a 34-year-old Hayward resident, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital. The roadway for north and south-bound traffic of San Pablo Avenue remained closed in the area for the investigation.

Per Contra Costa County protocol, San Pablo Police Department is jointly investigating this incident with the District Attorney’s Office and the assistance of the California Highway Patrol. The identities of the involved parties are being withheld pending family notifications. This is an active investigation and anyone with information in this case is encouraged to contact the San Pablo Police Department at 510-215-3150. All callers can remain anonymous.

 

Public’s help needed to ID suspect in Walnut Creek purse snatching

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Artist’s sketch and photo of truck of purse snatcher suspect. By WCPD

By Walnut Creek Police Department

On Jan. 25, 2021 at about 5:20 pm, a female victim was sitting on the sidewalk in front of her apartment complex smoking a cigarette with her purse next to her. A male suspect came up behind her and grabbed her purse. The victim tried to prevent the suspect from taking her purse by holding onto it, but the suspect was eventually able to rip it from her hands and flee. The suspect got into a gold Toyota Tacoma driven by an unknown subject and left the scene.

The victim described the male suspect as follows: Tall, heavyset, Hispanic male, in his early 30’s, with long, black, wavy hair. He had thick lips and his lower lip hung down when he spoke. He had a thick Spanish accent and/or a lisp.

Suspect Vehicle Description: Gold Toyota Tacoma half cab, model year possibly 2010.

Attached is a sketch of the Suspect and a photo of the back of the Suspect Vehicle.

If you recognize this Suspect, please contact Det. Gerstner at 925-256-3578 or Gerstner@walnutcreekpd.com. Thank you.

Suspect wanted for multiple bank robberies in Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, Concord arrested in Novato

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Bank surveillance camera photo (left) and mugshots of William Mulligan. Photos courtesy of PHPD

By Pleasant Hill Police Department

On Jan. 25, 2021, a subject entered the Bank of America in Pleasant Hill and attempted to rob the teller by passing a note demanding money. When the teller refused, the subject left and was not immediately apprehended.

He went on to rob two other banks in Walnut Creek and Concord that day. Through a coordinated investigation with several other agencies around the Bay Area, William Mulligan was identified and eventually arrested by Novato PD.

He will be tried at the federal level. Great job by all the agencies involved to make this arrest!

Man arrested for entering Brentwood apartment with sawed-off shotgun Tuesday

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Sawed-off shotgun and shells. Photo: BPD. Luis Martinezortiz. Photo: CCCSheriff

Drone, K9 used to apprehend suspect

By Brentwood Police Department

Tuesday afternoon residents were startled when a man entered their apartment through an unlocked slider door carrying a sawed-off shotgun. Fortunately, the quick actions of the residents allowed them to safely flee the apartment and dial 9-1-1. Officers quickly responded to the apartment complex and attempted to communicate with the unknown man, speaking to him in English and in Spanish, in an attempt to peacefully disarm him.

Luis Martinezortiz of Brentwood (55 years old) did not comply with officers’ commands and instead fled the apartment, shotgun in hand, running to the rear of the complex. Due to the nature of the situation and the location, a drone had been deployed above the apartment complex, giving officers an aerial view of the apartment complex grounds.

Drone shot of apartment complex and K9 Marco. Photos: BPD

The drone tracked Martinezortiz through the complex giving officers updated information on his location. K9 Marco arrived on scene and immediately began searching for Martinezortiz. Thanks to the extensive training our K9’s receive, K9 Marco located Martinezortiz effecting a successful arrest. Martinezortiz was transported to county jail and booked on burglary, possessing a loaded sawed-off shotgun, carrying a loaded firearm in public and carrying a loaded firearm and not being the registered owner.

The use of a drone and the assistance of K9 Marco were key components of a safe conclusion, perhaps sparing the public and our officers serious injury.

 

Pleasant Hill T-Mobile store burglars caught while driving away

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Pleasant Hill Police Officers pull over the suspects in the car as they were fleeing the T-Mobile store. Photo: PHPD

Second Pleasant Hill cell phone store robbed this month

By Pleasant Hill Police Department

Earlier this week, our graveyard team was dispatched to an alarm at T-Mobile (552 Contra Costa Blvd). Several officers went directly to the business and found the back door had been cut off and the business burglarized. Another officer stopped a suspicious vehicle leaving the area of the business and it turned out the occupants of the car were the burglars!

This is the second cell phone store in Pleasant Hill to be robbed, this month. Another was hit on Sunday morning, Feb. 7 and the suspects were arrested. (See related article)

That’s team work! We work together as a unit to resolve conflicts, solve crimes, apprehend suspects, and manage dangerous situations. #teamwork

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Oakley, Pleasant Hill men arrested in Brentwood for driving stolen car, illegal gun, identity theft

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Suspects Kevin Herman (left) from his Facebook page posted on Oct. 4, 2019 and Taylor Michelson (right) by CCCSheriff. Note: No arrest photo of Herman was available.

By Brentwood Police Department

We couldn’t let this go by without sharing it with you.

While most were sleeping soundly early Friday morning, Feb. 12, 2021 our graveyard officers were busy at work. While patrolling our city they located a stolen vehicle driving through town.

The vehicle eventually pulled into a residential driveway, but our officers weren’t too keen on letting the occupants go any further.

The driver, 30-year-old Kevin Herman (Pleasant Hill) and passenger, 29-year-old Taylor Michelson (Oakley), were safely taken into custody. During the arrest, officers found a concealed loaded pistol, a collapsible baton, and property related to identity theft inside the vehicle.

Illegal gun and baton in stolen car. Photos: Brentwood PD

Michelson had an outstanding felony warrant, and both males were given a ride to county jail on several charges including possession of a stolen vehicle and firearm related charges. According to LocalCrimeNews.com he has a history of arrests dating back to 2012 for such things as possession of drug paraphernalia, identity theft, receiving stolen property – motor vehicle and forgery.

Also according to the same website, Herman has a history of arrests by multiple agencies in Contra Costa County and the Bay Area dating back to 2013 for such things as drug possession, residential robbery, burglary, shoplifting and petty theft.

Criminals never stop ……. and neither do we!

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Man arrested for attempted murder of woman, kidnapping her baby after leaving her on side of Hwy 4 Thursday night

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By CCCSheriff.

Good Samaritan took woman to the hospital

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

On Thursday, February 11, 2021, the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff was notified about an incident that was initially handled by the California Highway Patrol.

Late that evening, the CHP conducted a vehicle stop on eastbound Highway 4. The car took the Center Avenue exit in the City of Martinez.

The CHP officer contacted the driver and noticed there was blood inside the car. There was also a baby in the vehicle.

The driver apparently earlier assaulted the child’s mother who fled the car on the side of Franklin Canyon Road. A good Samaritan took her to the hospital.

The driver is identified as 40-year-old Dathen Michael Rosales of San Jose. He was later booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on the following charges: attempted murder, kidnapping, making criminal threats, inflicting corporal injury and child endangerment. He is being held in lieu of $760,000 bail.

Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office 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.

 

Did you receive a tax form for unemployment benefits you never applied for? Fraud attorney outlines the steps to take

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By Newsroom Newswire

Now that it’s tax season, and tax forms are arriving in the mail, many people are beginning to find a nasty surprise in their mailbox: an IRS form 1099-G reporting unemployment benefit income that they did not actually apply for or receive.

If you receive a form 1099-G but did not file for unemployment, someone may have stolen your identity to commit unemployment fraud.

Attorney David Fleck, who has extensive experience in fraud cases, said this is one of the easiest frauds to perpetrate, which is why it has suddenly become common during the pandemic. As unemployment numbers swelled, unemployment departments across the country became overwhelmed with applications and made thorough background checks of applicants fall by the wayside.

“I’ve seen so many different scams in my career, and frankly there is nothing new under the sun,” he said. “Because these are unusual times, con artists are just using this moment as a way to take advantage of the system.”

Learning that your identity has been used to perpetrate a fraud can be a stressful experience, Fleck said, but there are steps you can protect yourself and mitigate the damage:

  1. Report the fraud to the California employment development department, https://www.edd.ca.gov/. California EDD has a form on their website to use for reporting identity theft and unemployment fraud. You can also call the EDD Fraud Hotline at 1-800-229-6297.
  2. File your taxes as normal, and do NOT report the fraudulent income. If you’ve reported the fraud to EDD, that’s all you need to do. You don’t need to also report it to the IRS.
  3. If you suspect you may be a victim of a broader identify theft, you may want to check the website of The Identity Theft Resource Center, a nonprofit in San Diego. Visit idtheftcenter.orgor call 888-400-5530.

“Fraudsters never let a crisis go to waste,” Fleck said. “But hopefully, now that state officials know this fraud is going on in such large numbers, innocent victims won’t be on the hook.”

 

Couple charged with murder of their 5-week old baby son in Richmond

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Herald file photos. Source: CCCSheriff

By Scott Alonso, Public Information Officer, Office of the District Attorney, Contra Costa County

Yesterday, Tuesday, February 9, 2021, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office filed murder charges against RayRay Andrederral Darn (35-years-old) and Marilyn Northington (28-years-old) for the death of their five-week old boy. The defendants were also charged with felony child abuse and felony assault on a child causing death. An enhancement was also filed tied to the child abuse charge against the defendants: willful harm causing injury or death. (See related article)

Richmond Police Department investigated the case and presented it to our Office for filing. Homicide Unit Supervisor Derek Butts reviewed the investigation and filed the charges listed above.

In the late evening of February 4, the defendants took their baby to the Kaiser Hospital in Richmond due to the baby not breathing. The couple was staying at the Courtyard Marriott in Richmond. When the couple arrived at the emergency room, the baby was seen by a doctor and the doctor pronounced the baby dead. Visible injuries were seen on the baby, including burn marks on his face and his right leg appeared broken and had been burned. A circular mark was present on the baby’s leg where the burn injury occurred. Additionally, the baby appeared severely malnourished.

A search warrant later executed by the Richmond Police Department found drug paraphernalia in the hotel room, including a meth pipe and two butane lighters.

An autopsy conducted by the Coroner’s Office found the victim had suffered from the following injuries: broken right femur, facial scarring, dehydration and malnourishment, bruising on the top of his right thigh, thermal burns on his nose and right cheek, and thermal burns to his lower part of his body. An internal examination by the Coroner’s Office found internal injuries consisting of seven fractured ribs, bleeding inside his skull and a skull fracture.

Both defendants will appear in Department 1 today at 1:30 p.m. for their arraignment. The bail for each defendant is $2,200,000.

Case information: People v. RayRay Andrederral Darn & Marilyn Northington, Docket Number 02-334044-5

 

Two arrested for burglary of Pleasant Hill cell phone store, drugs and more Sunday night

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The suspects’ car and tools. Photos: PHPD

Drugs found in the suspects’ car. Photo: PHPD

By Pleasant Hill Police Department

Early Sunday morning, Feb. 7, 2021, officers had their hands full after responding to an alarm at a local cell phone store. When officers arrived, they discovered suspects had sawed the door off its hinges in order to enter the business. Lurking nearby was the vehicle shown above, and the two occupants were determined to be involved in the burglary.

After a thorough investigation, those two occupants were arrested for the burglary as well as multiple other charges including drug possession, possession of burglary tools, and conspiracy.

The suspects were transported to Martinez Detention Facility and the case will be sent to the District Attorney for charges.