Crime, Fire & Courts

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...

At an upcoming meeting, the Watsonville City Council will consider renewing a contract with Atlanta, Ga.-based Flock Safety, which has installed 20 license plate reader cameras throughout the city. Watsonville signed a two-year contract with Flock in 2023 for $132,000. In the past six months, the...

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...

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office have announced the arrest of a juvenile suspect in the shooting death of 18-year-old Adrian Puga during an illegal street takeover in Prunedale.  Sheriff Tina Nieto made the announcement at a press conference Friday that the arrest was made 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 Scotts Valley man died Sunday morning after his minivan plunged into the ocean from the Santa Cruz Wharf. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office identified the victim as William Westerman, 65.  Santa Cruz Police said Westerman was driving a white Toyota Sienna minivan with his...

Dozens of law enforcement and emergency first responders gathered in the Watsonville City Council Chambers Wednesday for a promotional and award ceremony honoring Watsonville police and employees, and a county prosecutor. “The nature of our work requires us to be efficient, moving from call to...

This story has been updated with the victim's name and photo. Additionally, the victim is from Royal Oaks. The California Highway Patrol is asking for the public’s help in finding the driver of a pickup involved in a rollover crash Saturday in Las Lomas that...

The body of a 15-year-old male who went missing July 23 in Watsonville in the Laken area off of Holohan Road was found in the waters of College Lake over the weekend. Nicholas Magana-Zamora was last seen around 11am on July 23 after leaving his...

A Prunedale man was arrested Sunday by Monterey County Sheriff’s deputies after he reportedly broke into a home and then took off in a van.