Crime, Fire & Courts

A late-night fire destroyed a truck at the Restore, a thrift shop in downtown Watsonville run by Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay.  Firefighters responded to reports of a vehicle fire at 555 Main St. at 11:15pm and found a Ford F550 pickup fully engulfed in...

A 19-year-old Watsonville man has been arrested for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting an underage girl.  Christopher Medina Amezquita was arrested in Capitola with help from Capitola Police, the Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Team and the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office. He was booked into Santa Cruz...

A 61-year-old man and a 59-year-old woman, both of Hayward, died in a motorcycle crash on Highway 9 near Boulder Creek Saturday. The California Highway Patrol said an 18-year-old female from San Jose was driving a white 2018 Tesla Model 3 north on Hwy. 9...

A woman’s body recovered on Jan. 18 in the area of Smith Grade and Moore Ranch Road has been identified as 73-year-old Jeanne Burke, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.  Burke was last seen Nov. 18 at 4:30pm in the area of Moore...

Capitola Police arrested a 17 year old male after they found a sawed-off shotgun in his car during a traffic stop. According to CPD, officers saw the juvenile driving a pickup on Capitola Road on a license that was suspended for prior hit-and-run crashes. During the...

Emergency officials deal with a two-vehicle crash Wednesday on the 2500 block of Freedom Boulevard. The California Highway Patrol said the male driver of a Ford F550 flatbed pickup towing an 18-foot flatbed trailer was traveling north on Freedom Boulevard when he attempted a...

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...

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...

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...

A Hollister man was arrested Aug. 19 after months of investigation into a series of violent incidents earlier this year. Enrique Fuentes, 37, was charged with shooting into an occupied residence and gang enhancements. He was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail without bail, jail...