Crime, Fire & Courts

A woman from Utah who went missing on Nov. 6 at Rio Del Mar State Beach has been found and is safe, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office.  “Danielle Staley has been located and is safe and uninjured,” the SCSO said. Authorities did not...

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...

A 2015 Toyota Prius sits on its roof in Browns Creek on the 800 block of Browns Valley Road near Corralitos on the afternoon of Dec. 30.  California Highway Patrol spokesman Israel Murillo said the driver suffered minor injuries and the passenger uninjured in...

Watsonville Police process evidence Thursday night following a car stop on Hushbeck Street just after 7:30pm. While police managed to take the driver into custody, two people fled down Center Street on foot. Police found a handgun at the scene and recovered a stolen...

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...

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 San Jose man was arrested in Capitola on Oct. 5 on suspicion of the murder of a woman in San Jose.  Venko Gospodinov was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail for murder.  On Sunday around 2:50am, San Jose Police responded to a residence in...

Monterey County Sheriff’s deputies on Sunday arrested a Pacific Grove man with a WWII-era machine gun described as a “weapon of mass destruction.” Brian Richard Knabb, 42, also had a loaded .45 caliber pistol and a loaded 1911 A-1 pistol, sheriff’s deputies said. In addition, he...

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...

Watsonville police warned Wednesday that a mountain lion was seen behind 1075 Main Street heading toward Harkins Slough Road.  The department said that residents should remain alert, especially when walking in open or rural areas. Animal control and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife...