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...

A Felton woman died early Saturday morning in a head-on crash on Highway 9 north of Felton.  The California Highway Patrol said the 80-year-old woman was driving a red 1967 Volkswagen Beetle northbound on Hwy 9 at an undetermined speed around 8:20am.  Meanwhile, a 24-year-old Santa...

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...

Highway 1 was shut down for four hours early Monday when a dump truck slammed into the Freedom Boulevard overcrossing to Highway 1 in Aptos.  The California Highway Patrol said the truck was traveling northbound on Highway 1 at an unspecified time. The truck’s bed...

Watsonville Police Chief Jorge Zamora (left) is recognized by detective Colin Travers Friday during a farewell lunch at the Watsonville Police Department. Following 33 years of service with WPD, Zamora worked his way through a list of ranks and titles, including Chief for the...

An Aptos man was arrested on March 21 for several sex crimes involving minors. Kevin Hurley, 67, was charged with lewd and lascivious acts with a child and dissuading a victim or witness, among other charges. He faces a life sentence if convicted. Hurley was not in...

A 34-year-old man was shot and killed Wednesday night near a suite of restaurants and businesses that includes Chipotle and Habit Burger on the 1300 block of Main Street at Auto Center Drive. Police got a call about 8:30pm of shots fired and a person...

The California Highway Patrol is reminding the public to remember laws governing motorized bicycles after a child suffered minor injuries recently when two of the bikes collided on Soquel Drive near Capitola. Both riders were minors, the CHP said. The CHP defines a motorized bicycle as...

A 17-year-old male was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of murdering Marcelino Calixto Pastrana behind a Castroville market on June 26.  The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said a search is ongoing for a second juvenile suspect who they believe to be armed and dangerous. On July 16,...

A Watsonville man was arrested on the night of Feb. 26 after he tried to outrun Watsonville Police during a traffic stop. When WPD made a traffic stop on East Lake Avenue, 31-year-old Jose Alberto Sanchez leapt from the car and fled on foot, WPD...