Contra Costa Herald

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

Sheriff’s Marine Patrol searches for Delta boater missing since Thursday morning

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Photo by CCCSheriff.

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

A search for a missing boater is continuing this morning by the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff Marine Patrol Unit.

On Thursday, May 28, 2020, at about 10:30 in the morning, the Sheriff’s Office received a report of a missing boater who had gone into the waters in the San Joaquin River, north of Webb Tract.

The Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol Unit responded and were assisted by Solano County, Sacramento County, San Joaquin County and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Umut Felik, a 27-year-old man from San Francisco, was swimming when he apparently had trouble staying above the water. At one point he went underwater and did not resurface. His friends on a boat went into the water to search for him but were not able to find him. They reported the incident to the Sheriff’s Office.

A search of the area with a sonar was suspended at 8 PM. Felik was not located.

Anyone with any information on this incident to asked to contact the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol Unit at (925) 427-8507.

Woman injured in Oakley area Delta jet ski accident Monday afternoon

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By Allen Payton

According to East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD) Battalion Chief Craig Auzenne, a 22-year-old woman was injured in a Delta jet ski accident Monday afternoon about 3:25 p.m. near 5022 Sandmound Blvd. in Oakley.

Oakley PD secured the helispot at the intersection of East Summer Lake Drive and East Cypress Road. Medical helicopter ConAir1 transported the victim who had major injuries to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek.

The possible cause of the accident is listed as inexperienced operator.

Car crash takes out power pole starts grass fire in Byron Sunday morning

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Photo by ECCFPD.

From East Contra Costa Fire Protection District

Byron: On Sunday, May 24, 2020 at 5:04 am East Contra Costa Fire Protection personnel from companies E59, E52 and BC5 were called for a vehicle that sheered a power pole and started a grass fire on Byron Hwy and Bruns Road near the Alameda County line. The driver was uninjured, but power lines were down and caused delays both ways on the roadway.

Man crashes into apartments after tossing automatic weapon out of car during Pittsburg Police chase Sunday night

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Photos by Pittsburg PD.

By Pittsburg Police Department

Sunday night, May 24, 2020, Pittsburg Police officers were patrolling the city like always and came across a car driving recklessly in the area of Rose Ann Avenue and W 17th Street. The driver saw police and decided to flee the area and threw a full auto sub machine gun out the window.

The driver lost control on Power Avenue and crashed into several apartments at the Belmont Apartments. The driver was transported to the hospital and later transported to our county jail. Luckily there were no major injuries.

Please continue to let us know if you see any reckless drivers. #PPD #ConFire #AMR #FullAuto – 374 @Pittsburg, California.

Detectives arrest man in Pittsburg for Thursday murder

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By Pittsburg Police Department

Thursday evening, May 21, 2020, at approximately 6:45 P.M. Pittsburg Police Officers were called to the 4000 block of Harbor Street after receiving reports of a man suffering from multiple injuries. When officers arrived, the man was found suffering from life threatening injuries and officers began to preform life saving measure. Medical staff arrived and transported the man to a local hospital where he died.

The Pittsburg Police Department’s Investigations Division responded to continue this investigation. During the investigation it was learned that the victim and suspect knew each other and had engaged in an argument prior to the incident. During the argument, the suspect retrieved a weapon and repeatedly struck the victim. The victim left the area and was later located by officers where he was found suffering from multiple wounds to the legs and rear torso.

Detectives were able to learn of the suspect’s identity and officers began a search for his whereabouts. Just after 2:00 A.M. this morning, officers located the suspect and place him under arrest. The suspect, identified as 36-year-old Gabriel Young, was later interviewed by detectives and is now being held at the Martinez Detention Facility.

This continues to be a very active investigation and no further details are available at this time. The Pittsburg Police Department will be presenting this case to the District Attorney next week to file charges on the suspect. This is the City of Pittsburg’s second homicide of the year.

Oakley man arrested in Brentwood for stolen car, stolen items, burglary tools and drugs Thursday

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Stolen items, stolen car, burglary tools, drug paraphernalia and large knife confiscated from the suspect on Thursday, May 21, 2020. Photos by Brentwood PD

By Brentwood Police Department

You never know what you will find!

Another day of patrolling our community, on Thursday, May 21, 2020, keeping eyes peeled for anything suspicious and then, there it was … a stolen car parked in the Raley’s parking lot! Someone was sitting inside! Officers quickly moved into position and soon the car was surrounded. A man sitting in the passenger seat exited the car and was detained by the officers. During the investigation, an officer noticed a man exit Raley’s and start walking in the direction of the stolen car. The man quickly turned and began walking in the opposite direction, towards Beach Hut Deli. An officer greeted 30 year-old Eric Freitas (Oakley) sitting near the deli and while conducting their investigation, removed two knives and over $100 of stolen merchandise from Freitas.

Freitas was walked back to the stolen car, where he admitted to behaving badly. He had been driving the stolen vehicle, had stolen items from Raley’s and had burglary tools and drug paraphernalia in the car. The passenger in the car was later released.

Freitas received a courtesy shuttle to county jail! He was charged with vehicle theft, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of burglary tools, a probation violation and other additional charges.

Drive-thru food distribution event by St. Vincent de Paul in Pittsburg Friday morning

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In partnership with the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano

By Brit Hotaling, Communications and Development Associate, The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County

St Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County (SVdP) will hold a major drive-thru food distribution event in partnership with the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano on Friday, May 22.

WHAT: St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County will hold a food distribution of 500 boxes of food and fresh produce to the Pittsburg community while observing social distancing. Food will be available on a drive-thru and walk-up basis. SVdP has ramped up their regular emergency food services in recent months in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The food distribution will take place at SVdP’s Family Resource Center in Pittsburg, with volunteers directing traffic and handing out food supplies.

WHO: St. Vincent de Paul of Contra Costa County

WHEN: Friday, May 22, 2020 from 9 am – 10:30 am, or until supplies last

WHERE: 2210 Gladstone Drive, Pittsburg

WHY: Many neighbors right here in Pittsburg, who have never needed help before, are reaching out for help with food, rental assistance and other bills they are not be able to meet due to loss of income. SVdPCCC is open and serving neighbors-in-need. The SVdPCCC Family Resource Center in Pittsburg remains open to serve via our Free Dining Room (operated in partnership with Loaves & Fishes of Contra Costa), Emergency Food Pantry, Daytime Homeless Shelter for Winter Nights clients, and referral to additional social services.

For additional information: Barb Hunt, b.hunt@svdp-cc.org, (925) 330-6732 or Steven Krank, 925-439-5060 ext 28, s.krank@svdp-cc.org

Football player signs fake letter of intent to Texas Tech

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Tre’Vante Daniels posted a photo of himself signing an acceptance letter on his Instagram account.

Claims a mix up with coaching staff due to the coronavirus pandemic

By Jesus Cano & Luke Johnson

Tre’Vante Daniels left many confused after he posted a video of himself signing a letter of intent to play football at Texas Tech University.

Even his coaches couldn’t confirm its legitimacy.

However, the Texas Tech athletic department could and said Daniels was never offered a spot on the team.

In the video, Daniels hosted what appeared to be a National Letter of Intent (NLI) signing ceremony with family and close friends at a park. It was posted to his Instagram page Saturday but, has since been removed.

“It’s official Ya boy a Red Raider. Just know all my haters was my motivators,” he said in the caption.

Daniels, a sophomore defensive back at Los Medanos College (who previously played for Contra Costa College in San Pablo), claimed he was duped by someone who posed as a Texas Tech coach on Twitter. The person in question extended the offer to Daniels, he said.

However, after the Herald initially informed Daniels that Texas Tech’s coaches said they never offered him a roster spot, he replied saying there was a mix up on behalf of the university’s coaching staff due to the ongoing pandemic.

“They sent an offer, but there’s a lot going on with Corona, so it’s a lot of coaches going and coming,” Daniels said.

Matt Dowdy, the director of communications at Texas Tech, said there were no coaching staff changes in relation to the COVID-19 situation.

Daniels, a graduate of Ygnacio Valley High School in Concord, would have been the first LMC football player in 15 years to sign to a Power 5 Conference school if the offer was real.

But Texas Tech wasn’t the only Power 5 school Daniels claimed he had an offer from. He also posted on his Instagram that he had scholarship offers from The University of Arkansas, Kansas University, Vanderbilt University and the University of Arizona. The posts have since been deleted.

When asked by the Herald if he could provide documentation of those scholarships, Daniels said all of it might have been purged.

“I have to check the house to see what I can get you, but more than likely it’s in storage or my mom threw it away after we moved,” Daniels said.

All of his Power 5 offers were posted exclusively to his Instagram. However, only offers from lower-division schools were shared on Twitter. In those posts, Daniels tagged members of LMC’s coaching staff and the school that offered him.

Daniels said all of his offers were pulled as soon as he committed to Texas Tech.

Rice University was another school Daniels said offered him a scholarship. But Chuck Pool, the assistant athletic director, explained the team didn’t even know about Daniels.

“Our coaches said they never recruited Tre’vante Daniels or anyone else from Los Medanos College,” Pool said.

This isn’t the first time a counterfeit NLI was signed. Back in 2008, Kevin Hart of Fernley High School in Nevada faked his commitment to the University of California, Berkeley. He was exposed days later by members of the Golden Bears coaching staff who said they never offered him a scholarship, according to Mercury News. Hart later admitted to fabricating the whole situation.

Daniels insists he was the victim of a scam.

“Why would I put my family and myself through anything like this to lie about a piece of paper to play football?” Daniels said. “It doesn’t matter to me what’s real and what’s fake. I know the truth and that’s all that matters.”

According to Kevin Hartwig, former Freedom High School football head coach for 15 years, most recruiters talk to the coaches before offering scholarships to their players to have a better scouting report of the athlete on and off the field.

Daniels was one of LMC’s best players last season. He was voted First Team All-Pacific 7 and had three interceptions with 15 pass deflections.

Some of his peers were excited to see him post the NLI signing on Instagram. It was shared by a few of his teammates, who supported the move.

“It was not surprising at all,” said teammate Javier Hernandez. “He was very confident and aware of the player he was and came out big when we needed him most… He was grinding all throughout the season.”

Pittsburg resident earns nursing degree from WGU

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By Doug Smeath, WGU Communications

SALT LAKE CITY (Grassroots Newswire) May 13, 2020 – David Kang of Pittsburg, California has earned a Bachelor of Science, Nursing degree from Western Governors University (WGU). The online, nonprofit university has graduated over 178,000 students from across the country since its inception in 1997.

Since January 2, 2020, WGU has awarded 6,313 undergraduate and 4,975 graduate degrees. Graduates’ areas of study include business, K-12 education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. The average time to graduation for those earning a bachelor’s degree was two years, three months, while the average time for graduate programs was one year, six months. The average age of those who graduated is 38 years old.

WGU pioneered competency-based education, which measures learning rather than time spent in class. Designed to meet the needs of working adults, courses allow students to study and learn on their own schedules with individualized, one-to-one faculty support. They complete courses as soon as they demonstrate that they have mastered the subject matter, allowing them to move quickly through material they already know so they can allocate time for what they still need to learn. As a result, many WGU students are able to accelerate their studies, saving both time and money.

About WGU

Established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, online, nonprofit WGU now serves more than 121,000 students nationwide and has more than 178,000 graduates in all 50 states. Driving innovation as the nation’s leading competency-based university, WGU has been recognized by the White House, state leaders, employers, and students as a model that works in postsecondary education. In just 23 years, the university has become a leading influence in changing the lives of individuals and families, and preparing the workforce needed in today’s rapidly evolving economy. WGU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, has been named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, and was featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in The New York Times. Learn more at www.wgu.edu.

Writer complains about waiting 7 hours for out of state phone service to schedule free COVID-19 test, not having comment read during Supervisors meeting

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Dear Editor:

Please run this scathing letter that I wrote about my terrible experience in not getting a COVID-19 test late last week.

But the other part of the story is that it was not read into the record during Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting. Instead it will be “shared” with the supervisors, according to Jami Napier, Chief Assistant Clerk to the BOS.

In an email response she wrote, “This email will be shared with the Board of Supervisors. We are not reading emails into the record at this time.”

I responded, “Shame on you!  The agenda states that written comments will be accepted before and during the meeting.  I feel that I am being marginalized by the county. I feel cheapened. I cannot even get a Covid test; and then you do this to me.  Written comments should also be read into the record. Bad!”

Board of Supervisors Chair Andersen:

The county is playing with the lives of citizens, especially seniors when the county announces free COVID-19 testing for anyone regardless of one’s health, and the county’s out of state telephone message service is unable to properly handle the avalanche of incoming calls. Shame on the county and the telephone service!

Thankfully neither I nor my wife have COVID_19 symptoms, but last Friday I was on the phone 7 hours futilely waiting to make an appointment to line up appointments for free COVID-19 tests.  No one answered my call.  Incredible!

Later that day I talked to Supervisor Federal Glover who confirmed with that the health department is swamped with calls and is working to resolve the issue. That’s all that he could do for me and my wife. What a bummer!

The problem is, what if someone like myself or my wife, really has COVID-19 symptoms?  What do they do then if they cannot make an appointment like I attempted to do?  I suppose the answers to those questions is, wait for one’s maker, death!

This situation is unacceptable. The county and supervisors should be held accountable and correct this problem now!

Sincerely,

Daniel & Leslie Borsuk  

Pittsburg