By Officer R. Martin #3343, Antioch Police Department

On Friday, September 13, 2013, at approximately 7:09 PM, Antioch Police Officers responded to a solo vehicle collision on Hillcrest Avenue near the intersection of Sterling Hills Drive. The vehicle was found to have collided into a tree, ejecting both the driver and passenger. Officers located a 17-year-old male Antioch resident, who was pronounced deceased at the scene and a 19-year-old male, also an Antioch resident, who was transported to John Muir Hospital with major injuries.

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

UPDATE:

By Corporal Rick Smith, Antioch Police Community Policing Bureau

During the course of this investigation, information was developed that a second vehicle may have been involved in this incident. On Saturday, September 14, 2013, Antioch Police Investigators were contacted by this second involved party. The driver of the second involved vehicle responded to APD and is cooperating with investigators. There are no signs that either vehicle collided with one another, but both had been traveling at a speed in excess of the posted speed limit prior to the collision. At this time, alcohol has not been determined to be a factor in this collision.

The condition of the injured 19yr old male has been upgraded from critical to serious.

All names are being withheld at this time due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.

SECOND UPDATE:

The 17-year-old victim of the car crash was identified, today as Lydell Benjamin, a Deer Valley High School student.

Daveion Cornelious

On Thursday, September 12, 2013 at approx 10:50 am, Antioch Police officers attempted to stop a vehicle reportedly occupied by a male armed with a firearm in the 1600 block of Sycamore Drive. The suspect, 19-year-old Antioch resident Daveion Cornelious, failed to stop and led officers on a short pursuit in the immediate area. During this pursuit, Cornelious attempted to ram a patrol vehicle, and then rammed two citizen’s vehicles in his way.

Cornelious slowed, exited his vehicle brandishing a gun. He shot at an officer in a patrol vehicle immediately behind him, but missed. The officer in turn struck Cornelious with his patrol vehicle, knocking him to the ground and knocking the gun out of his hand. Cornelious fled on foot but was apprehended approx ½ mile away at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds.

At this time there does not appear to be any injuries to officers or citizens. Cornelious sustained only minor injuries from the incident and was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility for multiple charges, including attempted homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, felony evading, and associated weapons charges.

Cornelious has a short criminal history as an adult, but was out on felony bail for a burglary arrest in March of this year.

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

By Sergeant Steve Bias, Antioch Police Community Policing Bureau

On Thursday, September 12, 2013 at approx 12:33 pm, Antioch Police received a call of an armed robbery in progress at a business by the name of Gold Palace at 2970 Delta Fair Blvd. This business purchases gold from customers. The two suspects reportedly were armed with handguns. No shots were fired and no one was injured during this robbery.

The suspects were gone prior to police arrival. They were described as follows:

#1 Black male, 18 years old, 5’8″-5’10”, thin

#2 Black male, 22-25 years old, 5’8″, 160

The suspects left in a brown Lexus with tinted windows and no license plate.

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

By Wendy Oaks

On September 8, 2013, at approximately 1:40 a.m., there was a shooting at Paradise Skate Roller Rink, located at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds.

There was an Adult Late Night Skate Jam taking place at the roller rink when an altercation took place outside the skating rink. The argument resulted in a shooting, leaving one person dead and two others wounded. At this time, we cannot comment on further details.

A 31-year-old woman was killed and an 18-year-old and 40-year-old man were shot, but their identities have not yet been provided, according to Robert Williamson, Fairgrounds CEO.

“On behalf of the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds and Paradise Skate Roller Rink, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families,” said Williamson. “We are deeply saddened by the entire incident. We strive to create a family-friendly atmosphere, and take every precaution to keep individual’s safe, and my heart breaks to learn of such violence. We will continue to work with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Department in their ongoing investigation into the incident and provide any information needed.”

The staff of the skating rink are all OK, according to owner Jeff Warrenburg.

Allen Payton contributed to this report

Rakeem Rucks

Publisher’s Note: We discovered this article was accidently saved in Drafts and was never published on our website, until now. We apologize for the oversight.

By Sergeant Morefield, Antioch, Police Investigations Bureau

On Tuesday, July 30, 2013 at approximately 11:59 AM, Antioch police officers responded to a report of a male assaulting a female in the downtown area. As officers arrived on scene, the male subject (later identified as 32-year-old Antioch resident, Rakeem Rucks) fled on foot, while the female victim, also an Antioch resident, remained on scene but was uncooperative and wouldn’t identify her attacker. Antioch officers chased Rucks to a residence in the 400 block of F Street where Rucks violently resisted officers and then forced his way into the home. The residence was surrounded by police and attempts were made to call Rucks out of the home with no response. The original victim to the assault showed up at that scene and interfered with the police officers there and was ultimately arrested.

With no response from inside the F Street residence, officers made entry (deploying two light/sound diversionary devices) and cleared the home. A loaded, stolen firearm was found in the home, but Rucks was not located inside. It was determined that he likely fled out of the back before police could completely surround the residence.

Rucks was found several hours later by police after summoning medical assistance for injuries sustained while he tried to evade police. Rucks was taken into custody after treatment at a local hospital and then sent to the Martinez Detention Facility. This case is currently being looked at by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office for criminal filing.

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

By Sergeant Dimitri Barakos, Antioch Police Community Policing Bureau

On August 31, 2013 at 6:38 p.m., an Antioch Police officer was parked on West 9th Street near ‘A’ Street when he was almost struck by a box truck, similar to a moving truck. As that occurred, we received a call of a speeding box truck on W. 9th Street. The officer followed the truck with the intent to stop the truck. The truck pulled over and as the officer got out of his patrol car the driver of the truck drove towards him and almost struck the officer.

The driver of the truck led officers on a vehicle chase on ‘A’ Street. The driver abandoned the truck in the SR4 construction area near ‘A’ Street and Drake Street. The driver, identified as 45-year-old Eric Lehtinen, fled and was apprehended by officers. Dispatch advised the officers that there was a burglary alarm pending at the business, Ordaz Cultured Marble & Onyx, Inc., located in the 2600 block of West 10th Street in Antioch, where the truck was registered.

Officers found that the business had been broken into and the truck had been stolen from the business. Lehtinen was arrested on multiple charges and sent to the Martinez Detention Facility.

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

By Ofc. B. Hewitt, Antioch Police Field Services Bureau

On Sunday, August 31, 2013 at approximately 6:55 p.m., a group of citizens were gathered behind the apartments in the 1600 block of Sycamore Drive for a block party. A vehicle was seen speeding west bound through the alley and an occupant of the vehicle fired several shots, striking a 25-year-old male. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he was treated for his injury and released. The investigation is still ongoing.

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

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.