Crime, Fire & Courts

Monterey County Sheriff’s Deputies on Wednesday—with the help of a Belgian Malinois K9 officer named Rocket—arrested a Watsonville man after he was found with a large stash of illegal drugs. Rodrigo Roy Marquez, 45, was charged with possession of narcotics for sale, driving on a...

The City of Watsonville on Thursday announced that Police Chief Jorge Zamora is retiring, with his last day set for Aug. 30. The retirement will end a law enforcement career of more than three decades. Zamora began as a police cadet when he was 15, and...

A fire late Wednesday morning in Watsonville destroyed two vehicles in the area of Brennan Street and Freedom Boulevard. Firefighters reported no injuries. The blaze erupted at about 10:15am in a 2024 Tesla and a Ford F150 van that were parked next to each other. Witnesses...

Kimberly LaBore, who has spent more than two decades behind bars for her part in a 1998 robbery and killing—and who was sentenced to 62 years to life for the crime—has been granted parole. Gov. Jerry Brown in 2017 commuted that sentence to a 20-year...

Watsonville Police Chief David Rodriguez on Nov. 25 arrested an armed Watsonville gang member carrying a backpack with drugs and ammunition after a brief chase. Issac Sigala, 18, is facing several felony charges including illegally possessing a firearm, participation in a criminal street gang and...

A Castroville man is facing kidnapping charges after he allegedly grabbed a 10-year-old girl who was walking home Friday. Salvador Hernandez-Saldivar, 61, was charged with kidnapping, assault with intent to commit a felony, child endangerment and annoying or molesting a minor under 18, Monterey County...

A Watsonville man has been arrested on suspicion of causing a head-on DUI crash Sunday night near Salinas that left one man dead and five others hurt.  Miguel Soto Garcia, 29, was charged with felony DUI causing bodily injury, driving with a .08 alcohol level...

The 12-year-old girl who took her mother’s car and went on the run Saturday—and her 12-year-old boyfriend who joined her—have both been found In Santa Clara and are safe, according to Watsonville Police spokeswoman Michelle Pulido. Neveah Castillo reportedly drove off in a light blue...

Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating after a body was found floating in the Pajaro River Sunday just beyond the levee, shown here behind a farm on the 100 block of Riverside Road near Blackburn Street.  Sgt. Zach West of the Santa Cruz County...