Crime, Fire & Courts

A Watsonville man was sentenced to 25 years and 8 months in state prison for human trafficking, sexual assault and drug crimes, Santa Cruz County District Attorney, Jeffrey Rosell announced Monday. Luis Alberto Salas pleaded no contest on Aug. 29 to multiple counts of human...

CLOSE CALL Firefighters douse hot spots in a brush fire that erupted on the 300 block of Amesti Road Friday. An official from CalFire said the 3:20pm brush fire climbed to two acres before firefighters from Pajaro Valley Fire District, Watsonville and Central Fire...

A man was arrested Thursday night on the 700 block of Palm Avenue on suspicion of attempted murder. With the help of SWAT officers Watsonville Police tracked down Francisco Aceves, 25, on suspicion of shooting a 42-year-old man at the Sofspra Car Wash on the...

Monterey County Sheriff’s deputies on Saturday arrested two women who were allegedly running an unlicensed daycare center after a 3-month-old infant died in their care. Maria Marquez, 62, and her daughter, Johanna Marquez, 35, both of Royal Oaks, were charged with involuntary manslaughter, felony child...

NEW STOP A new four-way stop is now in place at Tuttle Avenue and Lake Village Drive. Watsonville Police say the change will help slow traffic and make the intersection safer for everyone, whether driving, walking, or biking.

A man died in a fire that engulfed a home in Aptos late Tuesday night.  Central Fire Division Chief Nigel Miller said firefighters were met with a multi-story home on the 1900 block of Seascape Boulevard fully engulfed in flames just before 11:30pm. “We got a...

A 70-year-old Watsonville woman suffered major injuries Sunday evening in a two-car crash on Highway 1 near Watsonville.  California Highway Patrol officer Israel Murillo said the woman was driving a silver 2017 Ford Fusion northbound on Highway 1 north of Mar Monte Avenue Sunday. At 5:52pm...

Watsonville Police on Tuesday arrested a registered sex offender after he allegedly followed and inappropriately touched a 17-year-old girl. Kenneth Wilder, 31, has been charged with assault with intent to commit rape, stalking, annoying or molesting a minor and sexual battery.  As a registered sex offender,...

One person was arrested Tuesday night after a fire inside the Target store in Capitola. Central Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Patrick Winters said that the call came at about 8:30pm for a fire on a shelf inside the store at 1825 41st Ave. Firefighters found...