Two firefighters from the Contra Costa Fire Department attend to the gusher from the broken hydrant in the Crossings Shopping Center on Wednesday. – photo by Allen Payton

By Allen Payton

A broken fire hydrant, caused by a driver running over it on Wednesday, August 28, 2013, in the Crossings Shopping Center on Deer Valley Road in Antioch, caused a gusher of water shooting at least 40 feet in the air.

It was located on the north end of the shopping center between Dad’s Cafe and the 99 Cent Store. That was the same location people gathered overlooking the scene on Hillcrest Avenue where a 24-year-old Vallejo man was shot and killed by police following a car chase, the day before.

Police had to shut down the slow lane on the eastbound side of the street, as it was flooded.

The thought crossed my mind when I saw it, that it was God’s way of washing clean the area where the dead man’s body laid, the day before.

By Sergeant Steve Bias, Antioch Police Community Policing Bureau

On Thursday, August 29, 2013 at approximately 2:30 pm, calls came into the Antioch Police Department concerning a subject inside of a vehicle being assaulted. Upon arrival, Officers quickly learned that a female Antioch resident was forced to stop in the middle of the street as she drove on Asilomar Drive, because a male (18-year-old Alexander Boivin) with a dog was standing in front of her. After stopping, a female juvenile opened the driver side door and began assaulting the victim. Boivin opened the passenger side door and also began assaulting the victim, who fought back.

Two bystanders witnessed the assault and pulled both suspects from the victim’s car and a brief struggle ensued. As officers arrived, the suspects fled into the park, but were detained by the bystanders and police.

The victim of this attempted carjacking was treated at a local hospital for her injuries and is expected to be released this evening.

Prior to this incident, Boivin had also committed a strong arm robbery of a mail carrier in the same park taking his cell phone. The mail carrier was not injured.

Boivin is a known gang member. He has no adult convictions on his criminal history. Boivin was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility for numerous charges related to felony assault, carjacking, robbery, and gang enhancements.

The juvenile was booked into juvenile hall for charges related to felony assault, carjacking, vandalism, and gang enhancement.

No booking photos immediately available.

You may text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH.

By Capt. Leonard Orman, Antioch Police Support Services Division

Antioch police identified the man whom they shot and killed on Tuesday, as 24-year-old Vallejo resident Korey Marcel Germaine.

Officers responded to the report of a firearm being brandished by a male matching Germaine’s description in a Mercedes. Officers located the suspect vehicle with Germaine driving. They attempted to affect a traffic stop. Germaine fled from the officers and a vehicle pursuit ensued. During the pursuit, one police vehicle was struck by Germaine as well as a civilian vehicle. Germaine eventually lost control of his car and it came to rest in the dirt near the intersections of Hillcrest Ave and Wildflower Dr.

Germaine fled from the vehicle while holding a handgun. Several officers chased him. During the foot chase he pointed the handgun at officers and was shot several times. He was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers were injured during this incident. The Critical Incident Protocol was invoked and this case is being investigated by the Antioch Police Department, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office and the CCC Crime Lab.

According to a 2010 article in the Vallejo Times-Herald, Germaine was arrested on September 14, that year, for “suspicion of possessing a concealed loaded gun” and was “also suspected of loitering and illegal drug activity.”

According to other online information, a misdemeanor bench warrant was issued for Germaine on February 28, 2013 for driving without a license with bail set at $10,000, then another misdemeanor bench warrant was issued on July 15, 2013 also for driving without a license with bail set at $15,000.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

By James Ott

At their August 13, 2013 meeting, the Antioch City Council cautiously took the final steps to annex 678 acres northeast of the city, in and around Wilbur and Viera Avenues (where Jaycee Dugard was held captive) by approving two documents that ensure the city gets it’s share of property tax from the land and that it will split infrastructure costs with the county.

At the meeting it was revealed that the city could potentially lose nealy $900,000 in property tax revenue if it does not complete it’s final agreement with the county by December 1 – the cutoff date the county assessor uses to determine which jurisdiction property tax will go to.

To counter this language was put in the agreements that could pro-rate the tax revenue if the city and county can’t come to a final resolution by the December 1 cutoff date.

Although the struggling city could badly use all of the revenue City Manager Jim Jakel said the city should take the best deal and think long term.

“We want to get it done by December 1 but if there’s not a deal on the table that’s in the best interest of the city then we shouldn’t take the deal,” he said.

To further protect Antioch’s interests in the annexation, City Attorney Tracy Nerland placed language in the two approved agreements that allows the city to review any changes to the agreements made by the county in the future.

The city of Antioch has battled the county for years over the acreage to control both what will get built there and where tax revenue will go. Currently both the city and county have similar industrial use plans for the property including a possible 100-acre industrial project the county has been working on. The current agreements would allow the county control over this industrial project because it has already been working for several years to get it done and the taxes from such a project would benefit both the county and the city of Antioch.

As the agreements stand the city and county will pay $3 million over 10 years for required improvements to water and sewer systems.

The two parties will split sales tax in the northeast annexation area while 62 percent of property tax will go to the county and 38 percent to the city. The agreement, however does not apply to locally approved tax measures and so if the new half-cent sales tax measure on the ballot in November is approved, the city will keep all of that revenue coming from the annexation area.

Editor:

The following is our Argument AGAINST the Antioch Sales Tax Measure set for voting on November 5, 2013.  We ask that your readers consider the facts and information we’ve submitted before they vote.

Antioch police officers tend to the body of man in a yellow body bag on Hillcrest Avenue, who was shot by police after a car pursuit. – photo by Allen Payton

By Lt. Diane Aguinaga, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

The Antioch Police Department was involved in an officer involved shooting this afternoon on Hillcrest near Wildflower. All officers are OK. As is standard in these situations we are conducting a joint investigation with the District Attorney’s office. A press release will be released shortly.

According to one person at the scene, a man was being chased by police while driving a Mercedes on Hillcrest. The car went off the road near Wildflower. He got out of the car and shot at police. They returned fire, killing the man.

A crow gathered in the parking lot, near the 99 Cent Store, which overlooks the section of Hillcrest Road, where the incident occurred and which the police had blocked off in both directions between Wildflower and the intersection of Davision/Deer Valley Road and Hillcrest.

More details, later, when the press release is received.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Johnny Madden

By Sergeant Morefield, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

On Friday, August 23, 2013 at approximately 5:53 PM, Johnny Madden was taken into custody by Antioch Police Department patrol officers after a brief foot pursuit in the 2900 block of Delta Fair Blvd in Antioch. Madden was booked into APD and then sent to the Martinez Detention Facility. This case is currently being prepared for criminal filing with the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.

You may text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH.