Crime, Fire & Courts

Santa Cruz County on Monday named Sandra Mendez as its next chief probation officer, selecting a veteran corrections administrator with more than 20 years of experience in community-based justice programs. Mendez will take over leadership of the county’s Probation Department on Feb. 2, county officials...

Morgan Hill Police on Thursday arrested a Freedom man after he allegedly traveled to Morgan Hill to sexually assault a 12-year-old girl. Alexis Javier Mendez-Gallardo, 21, was booked into Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of felony charges including rape of a child under 14;...

A routine traffic stop turned into a chase late Tuesday night that ended with the arrest of a 17-year-old suspected gang member and the recovery of a loaded gun, according to Watsonville Police. Around 11pm, a silver Honda Civic was stopped near West Sixth and...

Monterey County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested two subjects for conspiracy to commit a felony and being in possession of a stolen tractor.  One subject was also found to be a convicted felon in possession of methamphetamine and ammunition. On April 20 Sheriff’s Deputies got a report of...

Watsonville Fire responds to a report of a fire on the third floor of the five-story Resetar Residential Hotel Monday afternoon. Battalion Chief Chris Kramer said firefighters got a quick handle on the cardboard fire and that no injuries were reported in the 4pm...

Watsonville Police rounded up nearly 1,000 pounds of illegal fireworks after they uncovered a group of people—including a teenager—suspected of selling dangerous fireworks in Watsonville and across Santa Cruz, San Benito, and Monterey counties.  Watsonville Police spokeswoman Michelle Pulido said an investigation led them to...

An 86-year-old Fresno man was convicted on Aug. 26 for a double-murder committed more than three decades ago in Prunedale. According  to Monterey County Sheriff spokesman Andres Rosas, Ira Ulyesses Bastian murdered George Smith, 67, and Eva Thompson, 79 in a Prunedale restaurant on Nov....

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...

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that a man and his 7-year old daughter died at Garrapata State Beach Nov. 14 after being swept out to sea by huge surf. Deputies responded to reports of a water rescue at Garrapata State Beach, located along Highway...

A man died Wednesday when he was run over by a San Jose Police officer following a crime spree that extended through two counties. According to SJPD, the incident began just after 2pm where an armed suspect entered a car dealership, stole a green Corvette...