On September 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Antioch Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your medications for disposal to Antioch Police Department at 300 L Street Antioch, Ca. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Last April, Americans turned in 552,161 pounds—276 tons—of prescription drugs at over 5,600 sites operated by the DEA and nearly 4,300 state and local law enforcement partners. In its four previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners took in over 1.5 million pounds—nearly 775 tons—of pills.

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.

Four days after the first event, Congress passed the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010, which amends the Controlled Substances Act to allow an “ultimate user” of controlled substance medications to dispose of them by delivering them to entities authorized by the Attorney General to accept them. The Act also allows the Attorney General to authorize long term care facilities to dispose of their residents’ controlled substances in certain instances. DEA is drafting regulations to implement the Act. Until new regulations are in place, local law enforcement agencies like Antioch Police and the DEA will continue to hold prescription drug take-back events every few months.

Animal Control Officer Gabrielle Johnson (center) with Antioch Police Chief Allan Cantando and Animal Control Services Supervisor Monika Helgemo. from Animal Control Services Facebook page

Congratulations to Officer Gabrielle Johnson, who was promoted to the position of Animal Control Officer at Antioch Animal Services, a division of the Antioch Police Department.

Officer Johnson started volunteering at Antioch Animal Services at the age of 16. She then went on to serve as an Animal Care Attendant. Officer Johnson graduated from the Animal Law Enforcement Academy in March of 2012.

Congratulations, Officer Johnson!

By Sergeant Dimitri Barakos, Antioch Police Community Policing Bureau

On Saturday, September 15, 2012 at approximately 2:30 a.m., Antioch Police officers were dispatched to a local hospital for the report of a woman who was brought into the emergency room suffering from three gunshot wounds. The injuries are not life threatening.

Upon arrival at the hospital officers questioned the 20-year-old female and her friends. They could only say that the shooting occurred on an unknown street in Antioch. Officers located evidence of a shooting in the area of the 2100 block of L Street. It is unknown if this shooting scene is related to the shooting of this victim who is an Antioch resident. Officers collected evidence at the scene and the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information may text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH.

By Lieutenant Pat Welch, Antioch Police Field Services Bureau

On Tuesday, September 11, 2012 at 7:18 p.m., the Antioch Police Department dispatch received a call of a shooting that had just occurred on Lemontree Way. As officers arrived on scene they located a 31-year-old Antioch man suffering from a bullet wound. As police were arriving on scene other witnesses reported the shooting actually occurred in the parking lot of a shopping center at 1118 Sycamore Drive in Antioch.

Witnesses at that location stated there were several black male adults in some sort of altercation in the lot just prior to several shots being fired. Witnesses also stated they thought two people may have been shot and one fled in a vehicle that had left the scene.

As Antioch dispatch was checking with local hospitals, they were notified a second gunshot victim, a 24-year-old Antioch man, had been brought into the emergency room. Neither victim’s wounds were life threatening. The investigation is ongoing and nothing else is being released at this time.

Anyone with information may text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH.

By Sergeant Quintero, Antioch Police, Field Services Bureau

On Saturday night September 8, 2012 at about 11:37 p.m., a 30-year-old Pittsburg man, driving a 2006 Mercedes sedan, was traveling westbound on Delta Fair Blvd. in Antioch, in the number one lane at or below the speed limit when a pedestrian walked southbound in front of his car from the north curb.

The pedestrian, a 51-year-old San Francisco man, was trying to get back to a party he was attending in the middle of the block and did not walk to a legal crosswalk to cross the street. The man who was struck by the car appeared to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision but the driver did not.

The pedestrian was transported to John Muir Medical Center by AMR with severe but non-life threatening injuries.

The names are being withheld pending further investigation and notification of family members.

By Lieutenant Diane Aguinaga, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau & Allen Payton, Publisher

On Monday, August 27, 2012 at 11:14 p.m., Antioch Police officers were called to the report of a domestic dispute at 2301 Sycamore Drive in Antioch, where a gun was involved. Officers arrived and located the suspect with the gun getting into a vehicle and leaving the scene.

When officers tried to stop the suspect, he fled in the vehicle, leading the officers on a pursuit through Antioch. During the pursuit, the suspect rammed/struck at least two police patrol cars before crashing and fleeing on foot through backyards in a residential neighborhood. The suspect eventually ended up on the roof of a house on Wainfleet Court where he was confronted by officers. The suspect, still in possession of the firearm, pointed it at officers on scene, who in turn fired at the suspect, striking him at least one time. The suspect died at the scene.

A woman living in the neighborhood posted the following on Facebook, after the incident – “There was a horrible incident in my neighborhood. In fact it occurred in my court. There was a car chase with police and the suspect was climbing over fences in my neighborhood. The police called me to let me know they were searching for a suspect possibly in my backyard. They said I should lay low. there were helicopters overhead. The[y] finally spotted the guy on a rooftop in my court and gun fire ensued. The suspect was shot and killed on the roof. My neighbor thought she was safe in her house but 6 bullet holes went through her walls and her children were grazed by bullets. Luckily, they didn’t require any medical attention.”

This information is very preliminary, as a joint investigation with the Contra Costa DA’s Office has been initiated. This is standard with officer involved shootings in Contra Costa County.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective James Stenger at (925) 779-6894.

By Sergeant Steve Bias, Antioch Police Narcotic / Property Crimes

Cedric West

On Wednesday, August 22, 2012 at 7:00 A.M., Antioch Police utilizing their SWAT team served a search warrant in the4900 block of Parkgreen Circle in Antioch. The search warrant was the culmination of an investigation involving the sales of narcotics from the same residence.

During the service of the warrant, a subject tossed a loaded handgun out of a bedroom window in an apparent attempt to keep it hidden from police. A hidden shotgun inside the house was also located. The ownership of the firearms is still under investigation to determine if they are stolen.

Frederic West

All three were transported and booked at the Martinez Detention Facility.

Anonymous tips may be texted to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword ANTIOCH in the body of the narrative.

Patrick West

By Sergeant Quintero, Antioch Police Field Services Bureau

On Friday, August 17, 2012 at about 5:20 a.m., a 50-year-old male Antioch resident was traveling westbound on E. 18^th Street near St. Claire Drive in his Dodge pickup truck. At that time, the truck struck a 34-year-old female Antioch resident on a bicycle in the westbound lane of E. 18^th Street.

The drive of the truck stopped and phoned 911 for assistance. The bicyclist sustained severe injuries and was flown to John Muir Medical Center where she succumbed to her injuries. The names of the involved parties are not yet being released pending notification of family members.

The driver of the truck is cooperating with the investigation and did not appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the collision.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or has additional information is requested to call the Antioch Police Department at (925) 778-2441 or call the investigating Officer, Robert Solari, at 779-6000 x82372 and leave a message.