City’s first homicide of 2019

By Acting Sergeant J. Colley, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

On Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019 at approximately 1:52 pm, Antioch Police officers responded to the report of several gunshots on Peppertree Way near Sycamore Drive. While officers were responding, it was reported that a subject was down on the street suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. When officers arrived at the scene, they located one adult male gunshot victim. Officers immediately provided first aid to the victim until AMR paramedics and Contra Costa County Fire arrived. Paramedics transported the victim to a local area trauma center where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.

Currently, the case is under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925)778-2441, or Detective Bledsoe at 925-779-6884. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Scene of the fatal accident in which the Honda SUV struck a tree Friday night, Jan. 11, 2019. Photo by ConFire

By Sergeant Matthew Harger #3305, Antioch Police Field Services Bureau

On Friday, Jan. 11, 2019 at approximately 9:00 pm, Antioch Police Department Officers were dispatched to Lone Tree Way and Indian Hill Drive regarding a solo vehicle colliding into a tree. Upon arriving on scene Officers located the vehicle on the south sidewalk of Lone Tree Way with extensive damage. Officers found one passenger had been ejected from the vehicle and five other occupants still trapped inside, which required the assistance of the Contra Costa Consolidated Fire Department to extricate them all. (The APD press release stated the accident occurred at 7:00 pm).

Four of the vehicle’s occupants were transported by AMR Ambulance to local trauma centers all suffering moderate to life threatening injuries and two were pronounced deceased at the collision scene.

The driver was a 17-year-old female, and the passengers were two 17-year-old females, one 16-year-old male, and two 13-year-old females.

The preliminary investigation appears to indicate excessive speed on the wet roadway as the most likely cause in this collision at this time.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441 or You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

See more from the ABC7 News report on the accident.

Suspect in the shooting death of an Antioch teen at the West Oakland BART Station on Jan. 9, 2016. Photos by BART.

Suspect believed to have strong ties to Antioch area, goes by first name Matty,  father’s first name believed to be Vic or Victor

The BART Police Department is releasing new information about the killing of 19-year-old Carlos Funez-Romero, who was fatally shot aboard a BART train stopped at the West Oakland Station on January 9, 2016.  The department is also announcing the reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect is being increased from $10,000 to $25,000. (See related KRON4 news report)

Detectives with the BART Police Department have been following up on multiple leads as well as working closely with partner law enforcement agencies to identify and locate the suspect.  Investigators now believe the suspect has strong ties to the Antioch area and goes by the first name of Matty.  Detectives also believe the name of the suspect’s father is Vic or Victor.

“We are encouraged by the recent progress we’ve been able to make and are fully committed to bringing this suspect to justice,” said BART Police Chief Carlos Rojas. “Homicides very rarely happen on our system, but when they do we will find those responsible as proven by the arrests made in connection with all three homicides we had last year.” 

The investigation into the killing of Funez-Romero has remained active for three years.  Chief Rojas in June boosted the effort to find the suspect by assigning an investigator to the case full time.  That’s on top of other BPD resources that have been dedicated to solving this case.

The suspect is a black male who is 6’0” to 6’4” tall.  At the time of the murder he had a bald-shaved/or close-cut hair style, slim build, and was wearing a green hooded jacket with beige, construction-style boots.

Before the killing of Mr. Funez-Romero, there had not been a homicide on the BART system since February of 2013.

Anyone with information on this case is strongly urged to immediately call the BART Police Department at 510-464-7040 or the anonymous tip line at 510-464-7011.

The Contra Costa Human Trafficking Coalition will be working with local agencies to raise awareness about human trafficking in Contra Costa County throughout the month of January. The FBI has identified California as one of the nation’s top destination states for trafficked persons.

Contra Costa County is a natural corridor for human trafficking activities with its linkage to major metropolitan areas like Oakland and San Francisco via public transportation (BART) and its accessibility to Los Angeles and Sacramento via major highways such as 680, 80 and 5 (via Hwy 4). Though human trafficking is illegal, victims often do not know where to turn for help and community members may not know where to report suspicious situations.

This January, the Coalition, in partnership with Contra Costa County’s District Attorney’s Office, will run an awareness campaign with a focus on labor trafficking. Specifically, the campaign will target trafficking in the restaurant, hotel and cleaning service industries. Ads will run on County Connection, Tri-Delta Transit and WestCAT buses throughout the month.

As part of the County’s awareness-raising efforts, the Coalition announced several events throughout the month including a Community Awareness Day in Antioch on Wednesday, January 9, the Board of Supervisors Awareness Proclamation on Tuesday, January 22 and a documentary screening and discussion on Monday, January 28. For a complete list of events and details, visit www.contracostacoalition.org/calendar.

Contra Costa County’s Human Trafficking Coalition is a partnership working to raise awareness, build capacity, and increase access to services for victims of human trafficking. As a collaboration of agencies, their goals include; conducting public awareness activities; providing training, technical assistance and a forum to share best practices; establishing policies and protocols; and creating a coordinated system of care. The Coalition is a project of The Alliance of Abuse. For more information on The Contra Costa Human Trafficking Coalition visit www.contracostacoalition.org. Recently the Alliance to End Abuse, in partnership with the District Attorney’s Office, were awarded a Human Trafficking Task Force grant. For more information on the newly forming task force please visit http://www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1681.

Police seek victim vehicle which also fled the scene

By Sergeant James Stenger #3604, Antioch Police Field Services

On Friday, Jan. 4, 2019 at approximately 1:35 PM, Antioch Police Dispatch started receiving calls about a shooting on 4th and K Streets. An Antioch Police Community Service Officer saw a suspect vehicle fleeing the scene and was able relay a description of the vehicle to responding officers. An Antioch Police Officer and Contra Costa County Sheriff Helicopter Star 3 located the suspect vehicle on L and 9th Streets fleeing the area.

The suspect vehicle was stopped and three adult males, 19, 20, and 21 years old, all out of the City of Alameda were taken into custody. A loaded semi-automatic firearm was located in the vehicle.

Evidence at the shooting scene connected the three suspects to the shooting. It appears that one of the three suspects fired numerous rounds into another vehicle, which also fled the shooting scene. The victim vehicle and any possible victims have not been located. The three suspects were booked into the County Jail in Martinez.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925)778-2441. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

APD currently has 86 full-duty officers working

By Allen Payton

During their Dec. 11 meeting the Antioch City Council agreed to temporarily increase the budget to allow for the hiring of six more officers than the 104 currently budgeted.

Antioch Police Chief Tammany Brooks said it will be “a temporary, but effective solution..in our attempt to reach full staffing of our police department.”

The department has hired 61 officers since     Measure C passed in 2013, but 44 officers have left the department either through retirement or other   reasons. But, only 10 of the additional 17 officers were funded by the sales tax revenue from the half-cent measure.

“The department is currently at 99 sworn officers,” he shared. The department has enough officers in the academy to reach the 104 in the current budget.

However, that figure includes six currently in a field training program.

“We have another seven who are unable to work due to injury” and other reasons, Brooks explained. “We only have 86 full-duty officers which includes me, all the way down to the latest officer we swore in, yesterday,”

“Working at this lower capacity puts a huge strain on the officers working,” he stated. “I don’t want to lose the people currently we have in the recruiting pipeline. It takes six months for the process “for them to become a sworn officer in our department”

The purpose of this is to overhire above the 104 authorized as a temporary measure,” Brooks reiterated.

Mayor Pro Tem Joy Motts said, “My thought process was with Measure W passing we would be allocating funds for hiring more police.”

“Does this change the budget allocation to 110? Is it temporary or permanent?” she asked.

“No. We won’t be at 104 until May,” City Manager Ron Bernal explained. “Currently we’re asking to make job offers to more than 104.”

“We’ve never reached that point in this fiscal year. We have salary savings to achieve that mark,” Brooks shared.

“This is essentially cost neutral from being at the 99,” Motts stated.

“That’s correct,” Brooks responded.

“The public are going to start seeing more officers on the street,” Councilwoman Monica Wilson stated. “I definitely would like to support that.”

“Attrition in the department…affects patrol” as personnel are promoted in rank,” Brooks explained. “That will allow us to put more officers on the street,” he added.

I pushed for 108 because 104 won’t get us to 104,” Mayor Sean Wright said. “I look forward to when we get to that 104th and we have a celebration. It’s been a long-time coming. It’s not been for a lack of trying.”

Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock then made a motion to approve the temporary budget increase to 110 officers and the council voted 4-0, with Councilman Lamar Thorpe absent.

Photos by Antioch Police Department.

From the APD Facebook Page

Today, (Wed., Dec 26, 2018) is a bittersweet day for us as we congratulate Sergeant Will Dee on his well-earned retirement, but we also have to say good bye to him as well.

Will was born and raised in Florida, and ultimately found his way to California after enlisting in the United States Coast Guard In 1987. During this time, he was stationed in Alameda, but also did law enforcement patrols up and down the west coast of California and as far north as Alaska. After serving for five years, Will then attended the Napa Valley Police Academy.

Upon his graduation from the academy, he was hired with the Moffett Field Police Department in 1993, where he stayed until he joined us in 1995.

During his time with Antioch, Will has held multiple assignments including patrol, community policing, fraud investigator, homicide investigator, SWAT, Field Training Officer, and firearms instructor. Will was promoted to the rank of Police Corporal in 2002, and later again to Police Sergeant in 2008 where he has remained since.

After he signs off for his final graveyard shift, he can know he’s touched many of us, made lifelong friends, and most definitely left this place better than he found it 25 years ago. We wish Sergeant Dee, the happiest of retirements and hope he enjoys it with his wife, children and new grandchild!

Fights with cops, K-9 officer apprehends suspect

Donald Jackson. Photo by APD.

Crimes: Evading/Assault on a Peace Officer

By Lieutenant Trevor Schnitzius #2840, Antioch Police Field Services Division

On Monday, December 31, 2018 at approximately 9:40 A.M. an Antioch Officer witnessed a driver commit a hit-and-run accident and attempted to stop the suspect (later identified as Donald Jackson from Pittsburg). Jackson fled, willfully evading officers and a pursuit ensued. During the course of the pursuit Jackson struck an uninvolved civilian driver continuing to flee with no regard for public safety and also intentionally rammed an Antioch Police vehicle two different times. The vehicle Jackson was driving was disabled by another officer by use of their patrol car.

As officers attempted to take Jackson into custody, he tried to arm himself with a short table leg from inside the vehicle and fought with officers. A police K-9 was deployed and apprehended Jackson. The vehicle Jackson was driving was determined to be an unreported stolen car. Jackson was transported to a local area hospital for treatment for minor injuries resulting from the collision and K-9 apprehension. No officers or civilians were injured in this incident.

Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH.

This preliminary information is made available by the Field Services Bureau. There will be no further information released regarding this case at this time.