Gun and magazine confiscated from suspect on Jan. 3, 2023. Photos: APD

By Antioch Police Department

You can run but you can’t hide!

On January 3rd, in the late-night hours, officers received a call regarding a suspicious vehicle on Oakley Road. When officers arrived, they observed the pictured firearm in the vehicle. The occupant ran from the vehicle.

Officers Downie and Fachner immediately deployed their Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones) and located the suspect hiding nearby. Having an eye in the sky is invaluable with the work we do. Not only did it assist in locating the suspect, but it helped guide officers to the suspect’s location safely.

One of the drone operated by officer during search for and arrest of suspect.

He was taken into custody safely and was arrested for weapons violations and trying to evade arrest. We are proud of our officers and their ability to resolve this as safely as possible for them, the community, and the suspect. Also, our highly trained dispatchers did a wonderful job communicating during this rapidly evolving incident.

By Velma Wilson

The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) was founded by three women Selena Sloan Butler, Phoebe Apperson Hearst, and Alice McLellan Birney to whom were women of vision and passion. They refused to accept the status quo 125 years ago, and so we must consider, what really would they think of our work today? PTA prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education.

Thirty-second District PTA serves all of Contra Costa County, and on February 17, 2023, the PTA will be celebrating its 126th Founder’s Day at Lone Tree Golf & Event Center. Our special guest in attendance will be the National PTA President, Mrs. Anna King and California State President, Mrs. Carol Green in addition to a host of dignitaries as we celebrate and award scholarships and Honorary Service Awards to PTA leaders and community members who model PTA’s mission of advocacy for children and education.

For information and tickets visit PTA.one/FD23.

Due Feb. 10

At 6 pm on Friday March 24, 2023, the Antioch Chamber of Commerce will host our annual awards Gala and be Antioch’s 2022 Citizens of the Year, Businesses of the Year, Non-Profit of the Year and Youth of the Year. The Chamber is pleased to open nominations for 2022 in the following categories:

– Citizen of the Year – Most Impact

– Citizen of the Year – Lifetime Achievement

– Small Business of the Year

– Large Business of the Year

– Non-profit of the Year

– Youth of the Year

Nomination forms must be completed and received by the Antioch Chamber of Commerce no later than 5 pm on Friday, February 10, 2023.

Please return forms to the Antioch Chamber of Commerce office at 101 H St. #4 or by email to frondeskadmin@antiochchamber.com.

For additional information please call 925.757.1800

Click Here to Download the forms

Or DOWNLOAD THE NOMINATION FORMS BELOW:

 Download Large Business of the Year Nomination Form

 Download Small Business of the Year Nomination Form

 Download Citizen of the Year Nomination Form – Most Impact

 Download Citizen of the Year Nomination Form – Lifetime

 Download Non-Profit of the Year Nomination Form

 Download Youth of the Year Nomination Form

Duoro River cruise

Please join the Antioch Chamber of Commerce in experiencing Portugal and the Duoro River on the MS Emerald Radiance, October 4-14, 2023. Portugal Trip brochure

FREE AIRFARE when booked and deposited by January 31, 20223

What a great Valentine’s Day gift this would be. A small $400.00pp deposit holds your accommodations and FREE Airfare. The FREE Airfare has been extended to 1/31/23 for The Antioch Chamber Trip.

Contact: Tammy Larsen at Almost There Travel   506 W 2nd Street, Antioch  925-238-0001  paradice95@comcast.net

Bail set at $2 million

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa Disrict Attorney’s Office

Booking photo of suspect Serico Justice. Source: APD

An Antioch woman faces a felony murder charge with an enhancement for the shooting death of a neighbor. (See related article)

37-year-old Serico Justice is currently in the Martinez Detention Facility awaiting arraignment for a felony murder charge [PC187(a)] with an enhancement of personally and intentionally discharging a firearm [PC12022.53(d)]. Justice’s use of a handgun caused the injury and death of 31-year-old Hannisha Jamilah Willis on December 27, 2022. The incident occurred on the 2300 block of Mandarin Way in Antioch, where the women lived next door to each other.

Antioch Police Department investigated the incident and reported that the shooting happened during a verbal and physical fight between the women around 2:15 pm. Justice was in possession of a handgun at the time of the altercation – a gun she armed herself with prior to the confrontation. Willis suffered a single shot to her head after Justice fired her weapon. She died later from her injuries at a local hospital.

The case was referred to the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office by Antioch Police on December 28th. Charges were filed against Justice on December 29th. She’s scheduled to be arraigned on January 13, 2023, at 1:30 pm in Martinez. Her bail has been set at $2,000,000.00.

However, her arraignment was “put over” to a later date after her attorney filed a 977 Form which waived her right to a speedy trial.

04-22-01440 | The People of the State of California vs. Serico Justice

Seek help of nearby residents with surveillance cameras

By PIO Ashley Crandell, Antioch Police Support Services Division

On January 3, 2023, at approximately 2:17 pm, the Antioch Police Department Dispatch Center received a call reporting a person shot on Deer Valley Road near Asilomar Drive. Officers immediately responded and found a female victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg. She was transported by ambulance to a local hospital and is listed in stable condition. Through investigation, officers believed the female victim was not the intended target but was shot while driving through the area.

A second gunshot wound victim arrived at a local hospital reporting he had been shot near the same location. The male victim – who was believed to be the intended target – was found to have a gunshot wound to the leg and is also in stable condition.

Officers located multiple spent shell casings in the intersection of Deer Valley Road and Asilomar

Drive. Investigators are asking residents near Deer Valley Road and Asilomar Drive to check their surveillance cameras for anything suspicious around the time of the incident. There is no suspect information at this time. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective Gerber at (925) 481-8297 or via email: rgerber@antiochca.gov. You may also text an anonymous tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Josh Hill

By Josef Britschgi, Marketing & Communication Administrator, BAC Community Bank

December 29, 2022 – Stockton, Calif – Josh Hill has joined locally-owned BAC Community Bank as Senior Vice President and Retail Banking Officer. Hill is a results-driven financial services professional with more than 28 years of extensive leadership experience.  He has most recently led and grown retail banking teams within the BAC Community Bank footprint and Northern California.

“We are excited to be working with Josh,” said Jackie Verkuyl, Chief Administrative Officer, “the skills and insight he brings complement BAC’s future-focused strategic path.”

Working with other seasoned members of management, Hill is responsible for the overall success of the relationship banker and deposit service specialist teams, as well as leading BAC’s branch operations and ensuring consistent delivery of high-quality customer banking experiences.  He also assists in developing and overseeing retail policies and strategies while working with team members to improve and implement new retail products and services.

Hill holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration – Financial Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.

About BAC Community Bank

BAC Community Bank is California’s 10th oldest state-chartered bank. Established in 1965, BAC operates branch offices throughout San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Contra Costa counties, including a branch in Antioch at 3448 Deer Valley Road, and is identified as “one of the strongest financial institutions in the nation” by BauerFinancial, Inc.

The bank is centrally headquartered in Stockton, California, and is continuously recognized for banking excellence through local awards and banking industry accolades.

BAC Community Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Equal Opportunity Employer. Member FDIC. More information is available online at www.bankbac.com.