Contra Costa Herald

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

Curran, Motts, Rosa win at Antioch Speedway, more races Saturday night during County Fair

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Brent Curran #132 moved further up the B Modified point list with his second win. Photo By Paul Gould

Bobby Motts Jr #13 celebrates his Hobby Stock win with his daughter Madison Motts. Photo By Paul Gould

By Don Martin, II

Brent Curran won his second 25 lap All Star Series B Modified Main Event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. The race had three yellow flags during the first four laps as Kenny Shrader set the early pace. An inside pass in Turn 4 of the fifth lap gained Curran the lead from Shrader. Curran continued to set the pace through a pair of yellow flags during the next 10 laps, and point leader Cameron Swank pitted on lap eight. As Curran pulled away to win by about a straightaway, Shrader won a good battle with Todd Gomez to finish second. Previous winner Tommy Fraser and reigning champion Trevor Clymens completed the Top 5.

Bobby Motts Jr won the 20 lap Hobby Stock Main Event. Motts was driving the car that he built for his daughter Madison, who was riding passenger with him in this race. Motts raced into the lead at the start with point leader Chris Sorensen and Josh Leach running closely behind him. Second changed hands a couple of times after restarts on laps four and seven, but Motts continued to set the pace. The lead three cars ran closely until Sorensen and Leach hooked bumpers briefly in Turns 1 and 2 on the 15th lap. They broke free on their own, and Sorensen closed in on Motts on the final lap. However, Motts took the checkered flag ahead of Sorensen, Leach, Breanna Troen and Ken Johns.

David Rosa’s Dwarf Car win was the 60th of his career at Antioch Speedway. Photo By Paul Gould

David Rosa won the 20 lap Dwarf Car Main Event. This was the 60th career feature win for the two-time Street Stock champion. Chuck Conover led early, and it wasn’t long before David Michael Rosa and father David Rosa were running closely behind in a good battle for the lead. A low pass in Turn 2 of the 11th lap gained David Rosa second from his son, and he made an inside pass on the front stretch to take the lead from Conover on lap 14. Moments later, David Michael Rosa’s race came to an end with a Turn 1 crash. David Rosa continued to lead the race as 10th starter Scott Dahlgren and Devan Kammermann settled into second and third. With Dahlgren pressuring him in the remaining laps, David Rosa kept his cool and scored a well-earned victory. Dahlgren settled for second, followed by Kammermann, Chuck Conover and Toby Brown.

Richard Papenhausen #4p rolled to his third straight DIRTcar Late Model win. Photo By Paul Gould

Richard Papenhausen won his third-straight DIRTcar Late Model Main Event. Papenhausen ran second for one lap before leader Mike Hynes spun in Turn 4. Papenhausen led Rod Oliver and Danny Malfatti on the restart and would rapidly pull away from everybody. Malfatti and Kimo Oreta had a good battle going for third until Malfatti pitted on lap 13. Papenhausen lapped second place Oliver late and won the race easily. Oreta settled for third, followed by Malfatti and Hynes.

Saturday night, the Hobby Stocks and Dwarf Cars will run special races during the Contra Costa County Fair. For further information, go to www.antiochspeedway.com.

Unofficial Race Results

Antioch Speedway All Star Series

B Modifieds

Heat Winners (6 Laps)-Tommy Fraser, Mark Garner. Main Event (25 Laps)-Brent Curran, Kenny Shrader, Todd Gomez, Tommy Fraser, Trevor Clymens, Mark Garner, Kevin Brown, Kelly Campanile, Dennis Gilcrease, Tommy Clymens Jr.

Hobby Stocks

Heat Winners (6 Laps)-John Wacht, Josh Leach. Main Event (20 Laps)-Bobby Motts Jr, Chris Sorensen, Josh Leach, Breanna Troen, Ken Johns, Jacob Mallett Jr, John Wacht, Will Buirch, Jeff Betancourt, Dalton Jewel.

Dwarf Cars

Heat Winners (6 Laps)-Travis Dutra, Mario Marques, Toby Brown. Main Event (20 Laps)-David Rosa, Scott Dahlgren, Devin Kammermann, Chuck Conover, Toby Brown, Troy Stevenson, Jerry Doty, Travis Dutra, Giovanni Bertolli, Mario Marques.

DIRTcar Late Models

Heat Winner (6 Laps)-Richard Papenhausen. Main Event (20 Laps)- Richard Papenhausen, Ron Oliver, Kimo Oreta, Danny Malfatti, Mike Hynes, John Soares.

7 from East Contra Costa among 13 indictments targeting East Bay drug trafficking rings

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3 from Antioch, 2 from Pittsburg, 2 from Bay Point

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

SAN FRANCISCO – Thirteen defendants were indicted on narcotics trafficking charges, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Chris D. Nielsen.  The indictment follows the arrest of five of the defendants on April 30, 2019, and the execution of search warrants at thirteen locations, including nine residences in Contra Costa County, Humboldt County, Fairfield, Suisun City and Modesto.

Three defendants are from Antioch including 66-year-old Lorenzo Lee, 63-year-old Deborah Polk and 40-year-old Timothy Peoples. Two others from Pittsburg were indicted, 46-year-old Jeffrey McCoy and 38-year-old Deshawnte Gamboa, as well as 57-year-old Anthony Brown and 26-year-old Evan Martinez-Diaz, both of Bay Point

All thirteen defendants were charged in a single indictment which charges controlled substance offenses involving methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and cocaine base. The defendants and the charges pending against them are as follows:

 

Defendant Age Residence Charges Maximum Statutory Penalty
LORENZO LEE, a/k/a “O.G.” 66 Antioch, California Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances (Count 1)

 

21 U.S.C. § 846

 Not less than 10 years imprisonment and up to life

 

Not less than 5 years supervised release and up to life

 

$10 million fine
Distribution of and Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances, Including Cocaine, Cocaine Base, Methamphetamine, and Heroin (Counts 4, 7, and 13-15)

 

21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)

 Not less than 10 years imprisonment and up to life

 

Not less than 5 years supervised release and up to life

 

$10 million fine
JEFFREY MCCOY 46 Pittsburg, California Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances (Count 1)

 

21 U.S.C. § 846

 Not less than 5 years imprisonment and up to 40 years imprisonment

 

Not less than 4 years supervised release and up to life

 

$5 million fine
Distribution of Controlled Substances, Including Cocaine Base, Cocaine, and Heroin (Counts 2-7 and 9)

 

21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)

 Not less than 5 years imprisonment and up to 40 years imprisonment

 

Not less than 4 years supervised release and up to life

 

$5 million fine
ANTHONY BROWN, a/k/a “Ant Man” 57 Bay Point, California Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances (Count 1)

 

21 U.S.C. § 846

 Not less than 5 years imprisonment and up to 40 years imprisonment

 

Not less than 4 years supervised release and up to life

 

$5 million fine
Distribution of Cocaine Base

 

21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) (Count 7)

 Not less than 5 years imprisonment and up to 40 years imprisonment

 

Not less than 4 years supervised release and up to life

 

$5 million fine
DESHAWNTE GAMBOA 38 Pittsburg, California Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances (Count 1)

 

21 U.S.C. § 846

 Not less than 5 years imprisonment and up to 40 years imprisonment

 

Not less than 4 years supervised release and up to life

 

$5 million fine
Distribution of Heroin (Count 9)

 

21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)

 Not less than 5 years imprisonment and up to 40 years imprisonment

 

Not less than 4 years supervised release and up to life

 

$5 million fine
DEBORAH POLK 63 Antioch, California Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances (Count 1)

 

21 U.S.C. § 846

 Not less than 5 years imprisonment and up to 40 years imprisonment

 

Not less than 4 years supervised release and up to life

 

$5 million fine
Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin (Count 15)

 

21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)

 Not less than 5 years imprisonment and up to 40 years imprisonment

 

Not less than 4 years supervised release and up to life

 

$5 million fine
Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Count 16)

 

21 U.S.C. § 856(a)(2)

 20 years imprisonment

 

3 years supervised release

 

$500,000 fine
EVAN MARTINEZ-DIAZ 26 Bay Point, California Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances (Count 1)

 

21 U.S.C. § 846

 Not less than 10 years imprisonment and up to life

 

Not less than 5 years supervised release and up to life

 

$10 million fine
Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Cocaine (Counts 13 and 14)

 

21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)

 Not less than 10 years imprisonment and up to life

 

Not less than 5 years supervised release and up to life

 

$10 million fine
MAGO AGUILAR-PACHECO 38 West Covina, California Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances (Count 1)

 

21 U.S.C. § 846

 Not less than 5 years imprisonment and up to 40 years imprisonment

 

Not less than 4 years supervised release and up to life

 

$5 million fine
CESAR ALVARADO 38 Desert Springs, California Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances (Count 1)

 

21 U.S.C. § 846

 Not less than 10 years imprisonment and up to life

 

Not less than 5 years supervised release and up to life

 

$10 million fine
Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Heroin, and Methamphetamine (Counts 11-14)

 

21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)

 Not less than 10 years imprisonment and up to life

 

Not less than 5 years supervised release and up to life

 

$10 million fine
JESSE LOPEZ, III 30 Fowler, California Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl (Count 8)

 

21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)

 Not less than 10 years imprisonment and up to life

 

Not less than 5 years supervised release and up to life

 

$10 million fine
JOSE DELGADILLO, a/k/a “Tepa” 41 Fairfield, California Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances (Counts 1 and 10)

 

21 U.S.C. § 846

 Not less than 10 years imprisonment and up to life

 

Not less than 5 years supervised release and up to life

 

$10 million fine
MARCO DELGADILLO, a/k/a “Tonio” 39 Fairfield, California Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances (Count 10)

 

21 U.S.C. § 846

 Not less than 10 years imprisonment and up to life

 

Not less than 5 years supervised release and up to life

 

$10 million fine
LUIS TORRES-GARCIA, a/k/a “Guero” 33 Rio Dell, California Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances (Count 10)

 

21 U.S.C. § 846

 Not less than 10 years imprisonment and up to life

 

Not less than 5 years supervised release and up to life

 

$10 million fine
TIMOTHY PEOPLES, a/k/a “Tee” 40 Antioch, California Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Cocaine Base (Counts 17 and 18)

 

21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)

 Not less than 5 years imprisonment and up to 40 years imprisonment

 

Not less than 4 years supervised release and up to life

 

$5 million fine

The defendants arrested on April 30, 2019, were originally charged by complaint.  The complaints have been unsealed.  Eight defendants were charged in complaints that were supported by an affidavit describing the underlying investigation (the Affidavit).  In addition, a separate complaint was filed against defendant Timothy Peoples, and that complaint has been unsealed as well.

According to the Affidavit, this investigation started in 2017 and involved the DEA, the United States Internal Revenue Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Antioch Police Department, Oakley Police Department, and Concord Police Department.  In 2017 and 2018, the investigators used informants to conduct a series of purchases of cocaine, cocaine base and heroin from JEFFREY MCCOY.  In furtherance of their investigation, the agents also obtained federal wiretap orders in 2018 and 2019 to monitor communications over telephones used by the conspirators.

According to the Affidavit, the agents also seized significant quantities of narcotics from various defendants during the investigation.  The following chart summarizes the seizures, which are discussed in more detail in the Affidavit:

DATE SEIZED CIRCUMSTANCES
5/15/2018 4 kg of heroin mixed with fentanyl and $46,000 Seized from courier after leaving LEE’s residence
8/8/2018 18 lbs of methamphetamine Seized en route to TORRES-GARCIA from Jose DELGADILLO
1/26/2019 2 kg of cocaine Seized en route to meeting point with LEE
2/9/2019 7 kg of narcotics and $104,505 Seized from courier after leaving LEE’s residence
2/9/2019 20 lbs of methamphetamine and 1 kg of cocaine Discarded from courier’s vehicle after leaving LEE’s residence

In addition, any sentence following conviction will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

This case was investigated and prosecuted by member agencies of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a focused multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force investigating and prosecuting the most significant drug trafficking organizations throughout the United States by leveraging the combined expertise of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

 

 

 

Maintenance work on Vasco Road May 28-30

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Contra Costa County Public Works Department will perform roadwork on Vasco Road from Camino Diablo Road to the Alameda County line. The roadwork will occur from Tuesday through Thursday, May 28-30 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

The roadwork will consist of replacing the delineators, debris removal and street sweeping. The purpose of the delineators is to increase driver awareness and safety when travelling through this commute corridor. The work may be rescheduled based on weather conditions. Electronic message boards will alert drivers of the scheduled work. There will be traffic control through the work area and drivers can expect delays.

Construction on Kirker Pass Road truck climbing lane project to begin May 13

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Kirker Pass Road truck climbing lane project. By CCC Public Works.

Contra Costa County Public Works will begin construction on the Kirker Pass Road Northbound Truck Climbing Lane Project. The project will improve safety and reduce congestion along Kirker Pass Road from the Concord Pavilion to the northern Hess Road intersection by constructing a truck climbing lane in the northbound direction. Pavement widening will occur on the east side of the roadway to provide a 12-foot truck lane and eight-foot paved shoulder. Widening will require construction of six retaining walls adjacent to the roadway. The project also includes paving both the north and southbound lanes between the City of Concord/County limits to approximately 4,200 feet north of North Hess Road.

Construction will begin on Monday, May 13, 2019, with completion in the Spring of 2020, barring unforeseen circumstances. Construction operations will be scheduled to minimize impacts to commute traffic.

Funding for this project is provided by Measure J, State Transportation Improvement Program, State Match, Local Streets and Road Program, and gas tax revenues provided by the SB1 Road Repair and Accountability Act. More information for this project can be found at http://www.cccounty.us/pwdmap.

Pittsburg man dies from multiple gunshot wounds Monday, police seek shooter

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By Pittsburg PD

On Monday, May 6, 2019, just prior to midnight, Pittsburg Officers responded to an address on Shoreline Drive for the report of shots fired. While officers were responding to the scene, the victim’s mother informed dispatch that her son ran inside the house stating he had been shot by an unknown man. When officers arrived at the house, they located the victim suffering from multiple gunshots wounds to the upper torso. Officers began life saving measures until Contra Costa County Fire and medical personnel arrived and took over. The victim, a 47-year-old Pittsburg man, informed officers he was outside at his vehicle when an unknown man approached him, fired multiple shots at him, then fled on foot. The victim was transported to John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek where died.

The Pittsburg Police Department’s Investigations Division responded to the scene and took over the investigation. Detectives are currently contacting witnesses and obtaining statements from those involved. Based on initial information, it is unknown if victim and the man knew each other. Additional information is not available at this time and the name of the victim is being withheld pending notifications. This is the city of Pittsburg’s fifth homicide of the year.

The Pittsburg Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance and asks anyone with additional information to please contact the Pittsburg Police Department Tip-Line at 925-252-4040.

Pittsburg Police seize drugs, guns, ammunition and a lot of cash Wednesday

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Photo by Pittsburg PD.

By Pittsburg PD

Drugs, guns, ammo, and a lot of cash.

Everything you see in the photo was seized today by our Vice/Gang unit as a result of a search warrant in Pittsburg.

Vice Detectives recovered six firearms, including a fully automatic assault rifle, eight high capacity magazines, a cache of illegally possessed ammunition, illegal narcotics for sales and currency proceeds. Two convicted felons were arrested in conjunction with this investigation.

Student from Brentwood at Antioch’s Givans Taekwondo on track for 2020 Olympics

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Heritage High denies him opportunity to graduate with class due to on-line schooling during training

CJ Nickolas with gold medal from the 2018 World Taekwondo Federation competition in Greece. Photo courtesy of Ed Givans.

C.J. Nickolas, a senior in high school, is headed to Taekwondo Senior World Championships in Manchester, England in May 2019.  He had to withdrawal from Heritage High School two days into his Senior year because he was one of eight athletes in the United States picked up by the United States Taekwondo (USAT) to train full time abroad and enter the European Taekwondo Open circuit.  The intention was to get these athletes ready for 2024 or 2028 Olympics.

However, Nickolas has defied the odds, outperformed the initial expectation, and is headed to the World Championships this year setting him on a track for the 2020 Olympics.  A few other things have to fall into place for him to make it, as well, but he’s definitely on track.

Nickolas is the son of Edward Givans, owner of Givans Taekwondo in Antioch, where Nickolas trains, and Denise Nickolas of Brentwood.

“His mom and I are very proud of C.J.,” the elder Givans said. “It’s been exciting to see him advance in his skills and the competitions.”

Arriving at this place in his life was not happenstance or luck for Nickolas.  He has put long hours, and extensive time into training over the years.  Nickolas has made many sacrifices to get where he is and says that even in the setbacks and losses and injuries, he knows he has to continue the grind.  He says he digs deep when it’s tough and keeps pressing his way.

Nickolas is finishing out his high school through an on-line school (CAVA) while he continues to train full time.  His travels in the past six months have taken him to compete in Greece, Poland, France, Croatia, Africa and Spain among other places.  He has one stop in Bulgaria before he heads back to England to train for Worlds.  CJ has been in Brentwood schools (Ron Nunn, Adams and Heritage) and has many ties to the community.

Sadly, he says, “I will not be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony with my peers and I will be at Worlds during the Prom.”

Heritage High Principal Carrie Wells provided the reason Nickolas is not being allowed to graduate with this year’s class.

“He actually is not enrolled in our district, currently. In order to be enrolled in our district, he would have had to re-enroll in January, before the current semester,” she said. “His only option would be to enroll in Independence High School in our district. There would be seat time each week and check-in with the teacher.”

“It’s not that we don’t want him to graduate with us. But, board policy is pretty specific about that,” Wells added.

Nickolas puts that in the column of sacrifices and will continue his grind to get to the coming Olympics.

Allen Payton contributed to this story.

Suspected DUI driver from Concord kills Ripon man on Hwy 4 in Brentwood Monday afternoon

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Photo of crash scene by NBC Bay Area.

By CHP-Contra Costa

This afternoon, at about 4:34pm, Contra Costa CHP was advised of a head on collision involving two vehicles on HWY-4 eastbound, east of Balfour Road. Upon emergency personnel and CHP arrival, it was determined that a 2018 Honda SUV was driven across the solid double yellow lines, into oncoming traffic, and collided head on into a 2013 Toyota Corolla. The solo male driver of the Toyota (51-year-old man from Ripon) was pronounced deceased at the scene. The Contra Costa County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office will be handling the release of his identity. The solo male driver of the Honda was ultimately arrested for suspicion of felony DUI.

In the initial investigation, it appears that the solo male driver of the Honda was traveling on HWY-4 westbound (in that area HWY-4 is a two lane undivided highway) and then veered to the left and across the solid double yellow lines and directly head on into the Toyota traveling in the eastbound lane. Upon emergency personnel arrival, the driver of the Toyota was pronounced deceased. The driver of the Honda, a 46-year-old man from Concord, was not injured and investigated for driving under the influence of alcohol and was subsequently arrested for suspicion of felony DUI.

If anyone witnessed this collision or the events leading up to it (that did not remain at the scene to speak with CHP) please contact Contra Costa CHP in Martinez, (925) 646-4980. HWY-4 was completely reopened at 6:25 pm.

Impaired DUI driving is 100% preventable 100% of the time. There is never an excuse for it, and it cannot ever be tolerated. In this situation it tragically cost the life of an innocent person. When will we all learn… #neverdriveimpaired?

State withdraws twin tunnel WaterFix approvals, initiates planning, permitting for smaller single tunnel

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Photo: CA Dep’t of Water Resources.

SACRAMENTO – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today is taking formal steps to withdraw proposed permits for the WaterFix project and begin a renewed environmental review and planning process for a smaller, single tunnel project that will protect a critical source of water supplies for California.

Today’s actions implement Governor Gavin Newsom’s direction earlier this year to modernize the state’s water delivery infrastructure by pursuing a smaller, single tunnel project through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The project is needed to protect water supplies from sea-level rise and saltwater intrusion into the Delta, as well as earthquake risk. It will be designed to protect water supply reliability while limiting impacts on local Delta communities and fish.

This action follows the Governor’s recent executive order directing state agencies to develop a comprehensive statewide strategy to build a climate-resilient water system.

“A smaller project, coordinated with a wide variety of actions to strengthen existing levee protections, protect Delta water quality, recharge depleted groundwater reserves, and strengthen local water supplies across the state, will build California’s water supply resilience,” said Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot.

DWR Director Karla Nemeth took action today to rescind various permitting applications for the WaterFix project, including those in front of the State Water Resources Control Board, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and federal agencies responsible for compliance with the Endangered Species Act. Documents related to these actions are available here.

DWR will work with local public water agencies that are partners in the conveyance project to incorporate the latest science and innovation to design the new conveyance project, and work with Delta communities and other stakeholders to limit local impacts of the project.

Assemblymember Jim Frazier (D-Discovery Bay), co-chair of the California Delta Legislative Caucus, issued the following statement today after the state Department of Water Resources officially withdrew its permit application to build the twin tunnels.

“It’s very encouraging that after all these years we are finally being heard by the Governor’s Office. The withdrawal of the permit application acknowledges that alternative solutions have been either overlooked or ignored. I look forward to working with the Governor and Secretary Crowfoot to build a comprehensive water plan that is a benefit for all Californians.”