Contra Costa Herald

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

Sacramento female teen arrested in Walnut Creek charged for multiple weapons violations

By 2 Comments

Gun confiscated from Sacramento teen during arrest on July 27, 2023. Photos: WCPD

By Lt. Holley Connors, Walnut Creek Police

A 19-year-old Sacramento woman is under arrest after a reported theft in progress at a store in Broadway Plaza. On July 27th, 2023, at approximately 1:30PM, Walnut Creek Police Officers were dispatched to a possible theft in progress in the 1200 block of Broadway Plaza. Upon arrival, three females were detained. Upon further investigation, one of the women, Romajane Prestige Hill, was found to be in possession of a stolen handgun. The firearm was modified from a semi-automatic pistol to a fully automatic pistol, and also had a 30-round extended magazine. Hill was ultimately arrested and booked into the Martinez Detention Facility.

On July 31st, Hill was charged by the District Attorney’s Office for the following felony charges:

32625(a) PC: Possession of a Machine Gun

32310(a) PC: Possession of a Large Capacity Magazine

25850(a) PC: Carrying a Loaded Firearm on One’s Person

25400(a)(2) PC: Having a Concealed Firearm on One’s Person

Hill posted bail and is currently out of custody. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Walnut Creek Police Department at 925-943-5844 or call the Anonymous Tip Line at 925-943-5865.

Pittsburg man arraigned for carjacking, burglary, vandalism, more

By Leave a Comment

Multiple victims in Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill; bail set at $620K

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

Sean Christopher White of Pittsburg was arraigned on a 13-count complaint for a series of burglaries, a carjacking, attempted carjackings, criminal threats, vandalism, and other violations that occurred on August 9th.

The 5’7”, 140 lb., 33-year-old Hispanic man (born 5/17/90) committed these offenses in the City of Walnut Creek, unincorporated Walnut Creek, and the City of Pleasant Hill affecting multiple victims. White’s crime spree involved:

  • Three attempted carjackings [PC 664/ PC 215 (a)] – one with an enhancement for the use of a hammer as a deadly weapon [PC 12022 (b)(1)].
  • One count of carjacking [PC 215 (a)].
  • Two counts of driving or taking a vehicle without consent [VC 10851 (a)].
  • Two counts of first-degree burglary where a victim was present [PC 459].
  • One count of criminal threats with an enhancement for the use of a hammer as a deadly weapon [PC 422 (c), PC 12022 (b)(1)].
  • Indecent exposure [PC 314 (a)].
  • Vandalism which destroyed or damaged property valued over $400 [PC 594 (a)].
  • Receiving stolen property valued over $950 [PC 496 (a)].

During White’s arraignment in court, his bail was set at $620,000. He’s currently being held in the Martinez Detention Facility.

The District Attorney’s Office thanks the thorough work from the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office and Walnut Creek Police in responding to these incidents and investigating the violations that occurred.

His next court date is scheduled for Aug. 25 in 05 Superior Court Department 06 at 8:30 a.m.

Case No. 01-23-02568 | The People of the State of California v. White, Sean Christopher

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Antioch man on parole for burglary, Pittsburg woman arrested for attempted Brentwood burglary

By 1 Comment

Antione Jovan Rice and Christina Marie Rivera, Jr. in custody on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023. Photos: Brentwood PD

He was also a parolee-at-large

By Brentwood Police Department

Early Wednesday morning, August 9, 2023, Brentwood officers were called to a business located at the 2400 block of Empire Avenue, for an alarm call. Shortly after, our Dispatch received a call from a remote video surveillance monitoring company, who advised they were watching a male attempting to break into the business.

The company provided a description of the suspect and saw that he got into a red SUV, which was being driven by someone else.

The on-duty Sergeant, who was close by, arrived to the area and immediately saw a red SUV driving into the Slatten Ranch parking lot. As soon as he attempted to do a car stop, the male attempted to flee on foot.

Our Sergeant was able to safely take him into custody, and 37-year-old Antione Jovan Rice of Antioch was placed under arrest for attempted burglary. Rice, who is on parole for burglary, was also a parolee-at-large.

The driver of the SUV, identified as 33-year-old Christina Marie Rivera, Jr. of Pittsburg, was located in a nearby Starbuck’s drive through. She was placed under arrest for assisting in the attempted burglary and she had a warrant for fraud.

Both Rice and Rivera were transported to the Martinez Detention Facility for booking.

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Department, both Rice and Rivera are still in custody and she is being held on $30,000 bail. No information was provided on Rice’s bail amount.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Walnut Creek commercial burglar arraigned on felony complaint; also charged separately with drug sales, possession

By 2 Comments

Held on $375,000 bail

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

The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office filed a 15-count felony complaint on August 4th against 40-year-old Jarvis Leigh Ferguson (born 2/8/83) of Daly City for a string of commercial burglaries in Walnut Creek. Ferguson was also charged on August 10th for selling and possessing controlled substances.

Ferguson was arraigned in Superior Court in Martinez on August 7th and pled not guilty to the commercial burglary charges. He committed the offenses between July 16th and July 24th targeting restaurants and a hair salon in Walnut Creek during non-business hours. Walnut Creek Police investigated the burglaries and found the methods used in the crimes were similar. Moreover, once evidence was collected and analyzed from the affected businesses, it led police to Ferguson as the primary suspect.

Ferguson faces seven counts of second-degree commercial burglary [PC 459], six counts of grand theft of property [PC 487(a)], and two counts of vandalism causing over $400 in damage [PC 594(a)].

In a separate filing, Ferguson will be on August 11th on a four-count felony complaint for possessing and selling methamphetamine and cocaine on August 2nd. Two counts are for violating HS 11378 for the possession or sale of a controlled substance, and two counts for violating HS 11379(a) to sell or offer to sell a controlled substance.

Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton said, “We’re grateful to Walnut Creek Police who thoroughly investigated these brazen burglaries and drug offenses. Those who engage in such criminality will continue to be prosecuted by my office.”

Ferguson is currently in custody at the West County Detention Facility with a bail amount currently set at $375,000.

Case No. 01-23-02512 | The People of the State of California v. Ferguson, Jarvis Leigh

Case No. 01-23-02552| The People of the State of California v. Ferguson, Jarvis Leigh

Juvenile suspects arrested for armed robbery of high school student in Concord

By Leave a Comment

Multiple handguns recovered

By Concord Police Department

There was a large police presence in downtown Concord Thursday morning and we want to share what happened.

On Thursday, August 10, 2023, at about 11:30 AM, the Concord Police Department received information from Mt. Diablo High School staff that a student was robbed at gunpoint earlier in the day on campus. Patrol officers began investigating the robbery and developed suspect descriptions and leads.

About 30 minutes later, a Concord Police officer located the suspect vehicle and several subjects in a downtown Concord parking garage. As the officer detained the subjects, one of them fled on foot. Several Concord officers chased the suspect, detained him and placed him under arrest. This juvenile suspect was in possession of a handgun when he was arrested and was later identified as the robbery suspect.

During the investigation, multiple handguns were recovered and it was determined several of the subjects were related to the robbery. The subjects detained and suspects arrested were all juveniles.

As this is an ongoing investigation, no other information is being released at this time. If anyone has any additional information regarding this incident, please contact Detective Alvarado, Violence Suppression Unit – Investigations Division at (925) 671-5820 or the Anonymous Tip line at (925) 603-5826

 

Walnut Creek man arrested for multiple rapes

By Leave a Comment

Any additional victims urged to contact police

By Lt. Holley Connors, Walnut Creek Police Department

Brandon Delliquadri. Photo: Walnut Creek PD

The Walnut Creek Police Department is reaching out to the community and urging any additional victims of sexual assault to come forward after the recent arrest of a suspect.

On July 7, 2023, Walnut Creek Police Department Detectives arrested Brandon Alexander Delliquadri, a 35-year-old male from Walnut Creek, in connection with several sexual assaults believed to have occurred over the past few years. The arrest was the result of diligent investigations by WCPD Patrol Officers and Detectives, and resulted in the following charges being filed against Delliquadri:

PC 261(a)(2) – Forcible Rape (four felony counts)

PC 261(a)(4) – Rape of an Unconscious Victim (one felony count)

Case #: 23-11727

Due to the nature of the allegations and the circumstances surrounding the case, we believe there may be other individuals who may have been sexually assaulted by the same suspect. We understand that it can be challenging for victims to come forward. If you or someone you know has information about one of these cases or has experienced any form of sexual assault, we urge you to contact the Walnut Creek Police Department at 925-943-5844 or call the Anonymous Tip Line at 925-943-5865.

Man shot in arm at Pittsburg park Thursday

By 2 Comments

Reports of drive-by during celebration of life for Antioch teen shot, killed in attempted Brentwood robbery last month

By Pittsburg Police Department

At approximately 2:15 PM, Pittsburg Police officers responded to Highlands Ranch Park after receiving multiple 911 calls regarding a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located evidence of a shooting as well as a 24-year-old male that had sustained a gunshot wound to the arm. First aid was rendered, and he was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

A resident reported the shooting occurred during the celebration of life for the 17-year-old Antioch resident who was shot and killed while attempting to rob an Antioch resident in Brentwood on July 14, 2023. But those details have not yet been confirmed by police.  (See related article)

Officers interviewed multiple witnesses on scene and are currently collecting and reviewing surveillance video from the area in order to identify those involved. The Pittsburg Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance and asks anyone with additional information to contact dispatch at (925) 646-2441. No further information is available at this time.

Portion of a comment on Facebook on Friday, Aug. 11, 2023. Redacted by the Herald.

8/11/23 UPDATE: It was confirmed in a comment posted in the private Pittsburg Edition Rants and Raves Facebook page on on Friday, that the shooting was a drive-by and occurred during the celebration of life for the Antioch teen.

The comment reads, “We buried my 17-year-old cousin, yesterday at 11:00am, as we listened to the deep hideous sobs of his mother. We decided to celebrate the life and memory of (name withheld because he was a juvenile) at Highlands Ranch. Unfortunately, the family was victimized to a drive-by shooting.”

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Danville murder-suicide takes lives of man, two children Wednesday

By 1 Comment

The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office investigated a possible murder-suicide at a residence in the 100 block of Larkwood Circle in Danville on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023. At about 5:20 PM, Danville police officers responded to the residence for a welfare check. Officers entered the residence and found three bodies, an adult and two juveniles.

The fire department confirmed all three to be deceased. The adult is identified as 44-year-old Nemanja Isailovic of Danville.

According to his Linkedin page, Isailovic was a hardware and software engineer and worked since September 2016 as a Content Resource Engineer for IXL Learning in San Mateo. In 2010 he earned a doctorate in Computer Engineering from U.C. Berkeley.

There is no ongoing threat to the community. The Sheriff’s Office is still actively investigating this case.

Anyone with any information on this incident is asked to contact the 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.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Pittsburg man who died at Antioch construction site identified

By Leave a Comment

The construction site at the former ABC Rendezvous bar where a crew member died on Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023. Photo by Ronn Carter, Spotlight Antioch

Cause of death not yet determined, but not an accident

By Ronn Carter & Allen D. Payton

A man who died while working at construction site in Antioch last Wednesday, August 2, 2023 has been identified. According to Contra Costa County Deputy Coroner Gonzalez, the man was Saul Cisneros, age 55, (born January 31, 1968) of Pittsburg.

While contractors were transforming the former ABC Rendezvous bar located on Walter Way near Railroad Avenue into what appears to be a commercial storage facility, a crew member collapsed on the job. Antioch Police and Con Fire paramedics were dispatched at 2:39 p.m. for a medical emergency. Soon after their arrival the medical team announced the individual as a ‘1055’ coroner’s case. In response to the situation, all construction staff were released for the day as APD took charge and roped off the area.

As of 4:15 PM that day, Antioch Police Department spokesman Sgt. Price Kendall said an officer was on the scene still investigating. On Sunday, he said no more details will be released, that the Coroner’s Office has the investigation, now and they will determine the cause of death.

On Tuesday, August 8, Gonzalez said, “the cause of death has not been determined and is labeled as ‘pending.’ It was not an accident.”

 

Acting Antioch city manager appoints acting captain as City’s new acting police chief

By Leave a Comment

Antioch Police Chief Steve Ford (left) will retire Friday, August 11, 2023, and Acting Captain Joe Vigil has been appointed to fill the vacancy. Herald file photo

Will launch search for interim chief

A high-ranking officer on Antioch’s police force will assume temporary leadership of the department following the retirement of the City’s Police Chief this week.

Acting Captain Joseph Vigil has been named Acting Chief effective Aug. 12, said Acting City Manager Kwame Reed on Monday.

Chief of Police Steven Ford announced last month that he will be retiring. His last day is Friday.

Vigil (pronounced “vehill”) was one of four internal candidates Reed interviewed for the top job.

“He’s done a lot in his career,” said Reed, noting that Vigil earned a master’s degree in emergency service administration from California State University, Long Beach.

In December, Vigil also began attending the California Commission on Police Officer Standards and Training’s Command College, a 14-month, master’s level program that equips police who are leaders in their departments with the skills and strategies needed to recognize emerging social, political, and other issues that could affect law enforcement.

Vigil began his 23-year career in law enforcement with the Sacramento Police Department and then served as a Sergeant with the Richmond Police Department for nearly 11 years.

He joined Antioch’s police force in 2020, and as an Acting Captain he oversees patrol teams, investigations, the training of newly hired officers, and monitors the department’s use of body cameras among other duties.

Reed now will launch the search for an Interim Police Chief and once he has made that hire, Vigil will return to his previous position.

After that, there will be a recruitment for a permanent Police Chief. Although he can’t predict how long the search will take, Reed said he looks forward to working with both the City Council and the Antioch community to identify the qualities that are most important for that person to have.

He added that he will be working with Chief Ford and Acting Chief Vigil this week to create a smooth transition between administrations.

Vigil said he had no comment at this time.