The suspect on a stretcher is wheeled to an ambulance following shooting by Pittsburg Police Friday night, Jan. 12, 2018. Photo by CBS SF Bay Area.

Identity of 43-year-old who was allegedly reaching for gun not yet released

From Pittsburg Police Facebook page

Late Friday night, Pittsburg Police Officers were called to Nation’s Hamburgers at 3789 Railroad Avenue after a community member reported a suspicious vehicle at the location. Officers were informed by the community member that a man seated inside the vehicle appeared to be conducting a drug deal with a person sitting inside another vehicle that had just left the area.

Several minutes later officers arrived at the restaurant and found the vehicle described by the community member. As two Pittsburg Police Officers walked towards the car, they saw a man seated in the driver’s seat. Shortly after reaching the vehicle, officers saw a handgun in the center console of the car and both officers immediately began instructing the man to place his hands up and not to touch the gun.

Initially the man did as instructed, and placed his hands on the steering wheel. As officers continued to give the man instructions not to reach for the firearm, the man dropped his right arm in an attempt to retrieve the handgun from the center console. As the man began to raise his hand back up, one of the officers fired his service weapon. The man was stuck and our officers immediately removed him from the car and administered first aid until an ambulance arrived. He succumbed to his injuries at John Muir Hospital.

The man was 43-years-old and from Antioch. Our thoughts are with the man’s family during this difficult and tragic situation all around. We are also waiting to release his name, until his family has been notified.

The Contra Costa County Officer Involved Fatal Incident Protocol was enacted and the Pittsburg Police Department has entered a joint investigation with the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.

Suspected thieves of $5,000 in tools Daniel (left) and Chayce Honey. photos by APD

Stolen tools

From the Antioch Police Facebook page

On Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018 around 9:00AM, Antioch Police Officers took a burglary report from a victim on Valley Way that occurred a few hours earlier. The burglars stole about $5000 worth of tools. Through investigative leads, Officers identified Chayce Honey, (19), and Daniel Honey, (39), as suspects.

A probation search was conducted at Honey’s residence, where both subjects were located at the residence as well the victim’s stolen property. Chayce and Daniel Honey were arrested for burglary and possession of stolen property and sent to county jail.

Photos by Antioch Police.

Information posted on the Antioch Police Facebook page

At about 1:45 p.m. on Thursday, January 11, 2018 the Antioch Police Department arrested male (pictured) who was seen by alert neighbors attempting to steal from parked vehicles in the vicinity of Meadowbrook Road and Blythe Drive. They provided excellent information to dispatch which helped aid in his quick apprehension. When officers arrived, he fled, but was caught a short distance away.

We just wanted to thank all of our citizens who are working with us to get criminals into custody. As a friendly reminder, please ensure you lock your car doors and do not leave items of value visible inside. It greatly reduces your chances of a being the victim of this type of crime.

Antioch Police on the scene of a hit and run, three-car collision Monday night Jan. 8, 2018 at the intersection of Lone Tree Way and Blue Rock Drive/Golf Course Road.

By Allen Payton

The driver of a car that caused a three-car collision near the intersection of Lone Tree Way and Blue Rock Drive/Golf Course Road in Antioch, Monday night about 6:45 p.m. fled the scene, according to Antioch Police Sgt. Matt Koch.

“They were gone before we got there,” he said. “Officers are still following up on leads.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441.

Please check back later for details.

Photo courtesy of APD.

From the APD Facebook page

We are proud to announce the promotions of the following members of the Antioch Police Department. From left to right: Corporal Steve McElroy, Sergeant Matthew Harger, (Chief Tammany Brooks), Sergeant Mike Mortimer, and Corporal Rob Green. Congratulations to you all!!

Gas station clerk murdered during armed robbery

Armed robbery and murder suspect Zepp Crouchet, shot and killed by Antioch Police July 3, 2017. Herald file photo

By Daniel Borsuk

A 12-member Contra Costa County inquest jury unanimously found an Antioch police officer’s shooting of an armed robber and murderer of a Valero gas station clerk last July as an appropriate shooting on Thursday.  (See related articles, here and here)

After listening to nearly two hours of testimony jurors found that 42-year-old Zepp McKinley Crouchet of El Cerrito had died at the hands of another person, other than by accident. “That means it was a totally appropriate shooting,” said Matthew Guichard, a Walnut Creek attorney serving as the inquest hearing presiding officer.

During deliberations, jurors had four options to consider in the proceeding.  Those options included finding the cause of death by natural causes, by suicide or self-destruction, by accident, or by the hand of another person.

During the inquest called by Contra Costa County Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston to investigate law enforcement-related homicide cases, the jury found that 16-year Antioch Police Department veteran Kris Kent was justified when he discharged his firearm after witnessing a fight in progress inside the Valero gas station at the 1800 block of Hillcrest Avenue at 7:30 p.m. on July 3 between the gas station clerk Mohamad Jawad Ataie, 57, of Antioch and the robbery suspect Crouchet. See Sheriff’s Office Press Release,  here: 180104 Inquest finding Crouchet

Gas station clerk Mohammad “Jawad” Ataie, the victim of Crouchet’s armed robbery and murder. Herald file photo

Crouchet had a crime record dating back to 2004 when he was charged on three counts of robbery, one count of burglary and being with a felon in possession of a weapon.  In 2006, Crouchet took a plea deal and was sentenced to six years in prison with two years credit for time served.

More than $30,000 in donations have been collected on behalf of the family of Mohamad Jawad Ataie to help pay for funeral expenses and other expenses since his murder.

Once Officer Kent stepped inside the gas station, no more than 30 seconds had elapsed when the officer fired his service weapon twice, striking Crouchet both times, he testified.  The wounded Crouchet was able to run out of the gas station and fled across Hillcrest Avenue into the backyard of a nearby daycare center.

Crouchet was not found until July 4 dead in his Cadillac about a mile away from the Valero gas station at A Street and W. 20th Street.

During the inquest, officer Kent stated he had fired his gun twice, but Dr. Ikechi Ogan, a well- known forensic pathologist, testified that he had found three bullet wounds in the victim’s body.

“The cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds.  I found three gun shot wounds,” said Dr. Ogan.  “There was no evidence of close range fire.”

“There were other extenuating causes for the victim’s death,” Dr. Ogan said.  The doctor found 18 milligrams of alcohol and 38 milligrams of methamphetamines in Crouchet’s body.

The wounded gas station clerk Atawie was rushed to John Muir Hospital in Concord where he later died of his gunshot wounds from Crouchet’s Tech 9 firearm during their scuffle behind the cash register.

The damaged window facing W. 5th Street on the American Plumbing building in downtown Antioch, and the suspect. Photos by APD

From the Antioch Police Facebook page

Thank you to our alert downtown business owners who called in on a male subject who had been seen breaking a window of a business on Thursday, Dec. 28. The incident caused over $1,300 in damage, however, the callers provided such an excellent description and location of the suspect that our officers were quickly able to arrest him for vandalism and an outstanding felony warrant.

The damage to the interior of the building that housed Paula’s Family Florist on A Street in Antioch. Herald file photo

Contra Costa County Fire Investigators have made an arson arrest in Antioch for several recent fires.

37-year-old José Luis Gomes, a transient living in Antioch, was arrested on December 22, 2017, and was charged yesterday, December 27, 2017, with one count of attempted arson, and four counts of arson to a structure. He is suspected of starting a fire at Paula’s Family Florist shop, and three churches, all in a small geographic area around the A Street corridor.

Other similar fires in the area are still under investigation.