Crime, Fire & Courts

Watsonville Police Chief David Rodriguez on Nov. 25 arrested an armed Watsonville gang member carrying a backpack with drugs and ammunition after a brief chase. Issac Sigala, 18, is facing several felony charges including illegally possessing a firearm, participation in a criminal street gang and...

The 12-year-old girl who took her mother’s car and went on the run Saturday—and her 12-year-old boyfriend who joined her—have both been found In Santa Clara and are safe, according to Watsonville Police spokeswoman Michelle Pulido. Neveah Castillo reportedly drove off in a light blue...

A tow operator cleans up the area where a driver smashed into a utility pole Friday morning on Airport Boulevard at Roache Road. Watsonville Police said the male driver was traveling southbound on Freedom Boulevard just before 9am when he lost control of his...

Monterey County Sheriff’s deputies on Friday arrested a Pajaro man for the murder of Watsonville resident Jesús Alfonso Duarte Figueroa, whose body was found buried along the Pajaro River levee in April. Bernardino Rickie Sanchez, 61, was booked into Monterey County Jail in lieu of...

A Capitola man was arrested after he allegedly assaulted two people with a metal pipe on Sept. 18. Antwain Tiliman, 55, was charged with attempted murder, burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threats, elder abuse, brandishing a deadly weapon, battery, and possession of methamphetamine. He...

A 15-year-old was arrested Wednesday on the 500 block of Rodriguez Street in connection with a Feb. 8 shooting. Watsonville police placed nearby Radcliff Elementary School on lockdown at about 11:50am as a preventative measure. The lockdown was lifted about 10 minutes later. The suspected 16-year-old...

Capitola police are asking for the public’s help after a Soquel man was arrested in connection with an investigation involving children at Capitola Beach. Derek Martin Johnson, 63, was arrested June 6 after a concerned citizen reported that a man appeared to be taking photographs...

A 42-year-old Castroville man has been arrested on suspicion of human trafficking, attempted murder and multiple other felony charges following an investigation that began with a reported assault outside a local shopping center, according to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. Eric Adam Melendrez was taken...

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....