By CHP – Contra Costa

Wednesday morning, Nov. 16, 2022, at about 3:55 am, Contra Costa CHP was advised of a vehicle vs. pedestrian crash on Highway 4 westbound west of Bailey Road. At the time of the crash, a pedestrian was within the roadway of Hwy 4 westbound.

A Toyota Tacoma traveling westbound was unable to avoid the pedestrian and struck the person. The pedestrian was pronounced deceased at the scene and the driver of the Tacoma was not injured.

Efforts to obtain the identity of the deceased pedestrian were unsuccessful prior to publication time.

This crash is still under investigation. If anyone witnessed it or the events leading up to it, please contact Contra Costa CHP in Martinez, (925) 646-4980.

Please check back later for any updates.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

The International Orphan Relief Foundation wishes you a happy holiday season! We would love for you to be a part of our annual East County Christmas Children’s PJ and To Drive. Please click the link below to see how you can impact the youth and families in East County and bring joy this Christmas!

Donate to our Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/DirCStaton

One victim from Vacaville, four from Vallejo

By CHP – Contra Costa

Early Thursday morning, Nov 17, 2022, at about 12:10 am, CHP Contra Costa was advised of a wrong way driver traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of Highway 4 near Railroad Avenue in Pittsburg. The wrong way vehicle, a Hyundai Elantra, continued eastbound in the westbound lanes and collided head on into a Ford Flex traveling in the westbound lanes of Hwy 4, west of Loveridge Road. Both vehicles sustained major damage and came to rest within the westbound lanes.

The driver and sole occupant of the Ford sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased on scene. The Hyundai was occupied by one adult driver and three juvenile passengers, all occupants sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced deceased at the scene.

According to Contra Costa County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office PIO Jimmy Lee, the victims were Lasaundra Goode age 44 of Vacaville and the driver of the Elantra was Tiara Tucker age 27 of Vallejo. The three children in one of the cars was Mariah Mihailovic age 5, Keilani Johnson-Ochoa age 4 and Kaliyah Johnson-Ochoa age 9, all also from Vallejo.

At this time, it is undetermined if drugs and/or alcohol were a factor. For more details see the CBS News Bay Area report about the crash.

This incident is still under investigation. If anyone witnessed this crash, the wrong way vehicle prior to the crash, or the events leading up to the crash, please contact Contra Costa CHP in Martinez at (925) 646-4980. Thank you.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Aspire Visual & Performing Arts Academy is performing at the Pittsburg High Creative Arts Building on Saturday, December 10 with a cast of some 100 scholars, grades Kindergarten to 12th grade from across Contra Costa County for our annual holiday production of Joy – The Urban Nutcracker!  This urban take on the classic ballet, The Nutcracker, is a fun filled, colorful and moving, holiday production that includes singing, dancing and acting.

Tickets available at joytheurbannutcracker.eventbrite.com.

Alexis Gabe from her missing poster.

Last seen in Antioch on January 26, 2022

According to the Oakley Police Department and the Amador County Sheriff’s Office, on November 3, 2022, at approximately 3:00 p.m., the Amador County Sheriff’s Office received an anonymous tip from a local resident of the Plymouth, California area who had discovered something suspicious that was thought to be human remains. Amador County Sheriff’s Office detectives and crime scene investigators responded to the scene and initiated a search of the area where they ultimately located the remains described in the tip. The remains were determined as those of missing Oakley woman Alexis Gabe. She went missing on January 26, 2022, was last seen in Antioch, California and is suspected of being murdered by her late ex-boyfriend, Marshall Curtis Jones of Antioch. He was later shot and killed by police in Washington state. (See related articles here and here)

Plymouth is located in the west end of Amador County. The tip was made through the Amador County Secret Witness Program. Amador County Sheriff’s detectives and crime scene investigators documented the evidence found and collected the remains.

Due to the time of day and diminishing daylight, it was determined it would be best to keep watch over the area and initiate a more thorough investigation this morning. Members of the Oakley Police Department and the Antioch Police Department responded to the Plymouth area early Friday morning to assist with the investigation with the assistance of cadaver dogs. More evidence was identified and collected from the scene.

The specific location is an area just off of Jackson Road in Plymouth. The area where Alexis’ remains were found has been searched further and no other remains have been located.

The collaborative investigation did confirm the partial remains were human. A forensic odontologist responded to the Amador County Sheriff’s Office facility to examine the remains. The forensic odontologist positively identified the remains as those of Alexis Gabe. All evidence collected by the Amador County Sheriff’s Office was turned over to Oakley Police Department detectives and Coroner jurisdiction has been turned over to the Contra Costa County Coroner’s Office to determine manner and cause of death.

According to the Oakley Police Department, the Gabe family has been notified and they are requesting respect and privacy during this time of mourning.

Jackson Road is an area we identified early on as an area where Jones travelled to in the hours and days after Alexis was reported as missing.

Due to the nature of the condition of Alexis’ remains, and the lack of her full body, we believe the remainder of her remains are scattered in various areas.

Due to the condition of Alexis’ remains we realize there may never be a full recovery of her. The City of Oakley has determined there will be no extensions of reward funds for any future remains that may be found.

A press conference will be scheduled for early next week and we will provide details for the date and time as soon as possible. Any questions regarding this case should be directed to the Antioch and Oakley Police Departments.  The Amador County Sheriff’s Office would like to extend their condolences to the Gabe family in this difficult time.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Source: Youth of Promise Fund

Must serve Eastern Contra Costa County

The Youth of Promise Fund, a partnership between the Contra Costa County Probation Department and the Antioch Community Foundation, is now open to accept applications for micro-grants of up to $10,000 for non-profit organizations serving Eastern Contra Costa County youth and families and to support priority program/service areas described below for the period: October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2023.

Priority Program/Service Areas Include:

• Academic success, mentoring, and tutoring;
• Leadership development
• Civic engagement/social justice;
• Prevention;
• Youth employment, internships, or work-ready skills training; and

Among others that support and promote strategies and best practices that effectively prevent or reduce juvenile crime and provide youth and their families with opportunities to achieve, grow, and thrive.

Application Process and Timeline

Non-profit (501c3) organizations serving justice-system involved youth and/or youth at risk of justice-system involvement in East Contra Costa are eligible to apply. (A pool of $85,000 has been allocated for this grant application cycle.)

Applications must be submitted to the Antioch Community Foundation via online or by email at grants@acfcommunityimpact.org. See the link below for the application.

Applications are due no later than 5:00pm Friday, October 28, 2022.

• No mailed or faxed documents will be accepted.
• Funding decisions will be finalized by the ACF Board by Monday, November 14, 2022, and notification to organizations of grant funding status will be made by Friday, November 18, 2022.
• Organizations that are awarded a grant must confirm acceptance and provide any revised documentation to the Antioch Community Foundation by 5:00 pm, Tuesday, November 29, 2022
• Grant awards will be mailed by Friday, December 2, 2022.
• To be considered for future funding, grantees must submit a grant report for 2022-23 by Friday, September 1, 2023, or within 2 months of completion of any one-time event for which the award is given.

For questions, please send your inquiry to grants@acfcommunityimpact.org or contact Keith Archuleta at 925-584-5944/ keith@emeraldhpc.com.

Former Tri Delta Transit CEO Jeanne Krieg and new CEO Rashidi Barnes. Photos: Tri Delta Transit

By Leeann Loroño, Manager of Customer Service and Marketing, Tri Delta Transit

(Note: Apologies for the delay in posting this information. The Herald publisher was sick during the week this press release was issued)

After an extensive nationwide search, the Board of Directors of the Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority, aka Tri Delta Transit, unanimously selected Rashidi Barnes as Tri Delta Transit’s new CEO. He assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer on September 7, 2022, replacing long-time CEO Jeanne Krieg who is retiring in February after 32 years at the agency.

Barnes started his transit career twenty years ago as the Western Sales Manager for Transit Marketing Group, a leader in marketing and sales for transit product manufacturers. From there he became the Director of Procurement for Foothill Transit where he was responsible for insuring contract compliance and procurement of materials/supplies and professional, architectural and engineering services. He also served as Foothill Transit’s Disadvantaged Enterprise Liaison Officer during his tenure.  His next five and a half years was spent with Central Contra Costa Transit Authority (County Connection) where he served as Senior Manager of Transportation, Senior Manager of Innovation and Shared Mobility, and then Director of Innovation and Shared Mobility. Projects that he helped to deliver included the initial Clipper System implementation for CCCTA, introducing on-demand transportation service, shepherding bus on shoulder legislation and congestion mitigation options, working with the regions local utility provider to help launch the agency’s first electric bus. During his other roles at CCCTA, Mr. Barnes oversaw the daily operations of 160+ bus operators, 12 supervisors and 1 transit manager. Daily as an operations team, their focus was on providing efficient service. This was accomplished through a dedication to strong customer service, innovative approaches in planning, traffic mitigation, and performance management of employees.

Most recently, Mr. Barnes has been working for First Transit as the Director of Mobility as a Service, a national position where he worked with various transit agencies, TNC’s, payment solution companies and micro mobility providers to deliver innovative mobility solutions. Through the introduction of MaaS mobile applications, data analytics and focus on improving the customers journeys Mr. Barnes believes that transit agencies will be able re-solidify its place in the daily transportation decisions that people make.

Mr. Barnes brings a variety of experience in roles that are part of Tri Delta Transit’s service.  In addition, he brings proven leadership, innovative thought, decision making skills, contract administration, as well as, in-depth industry knowledge.  In 2015, Mr. Barnes was listed by Mass Transit Magazine as one of the Top 40 Under 40 to watch and follow.

“We are greatly saddened by the retirement of Jeanne Krieg, who has been a strong leader for the last 32 years,” Board Chair Anissa Williams stated. “We are extremely fortunate to be bringing Rashidi Barnes onboard, who will no doubt continue Jeanne Krieg’s strong leadership and direction, while forging his own legacy.”

Krieg assumed the title of CEO Transitional Officer, serving in the position until she retires officially in February after a long and distinguished career.

Krieg Honored on Industry’s Wall of Excellence

In April, this year Krieg was honored by the California Association for Coordinated Transportation (CalACT) in Newport Beach at the CalACT spring conference. She was awarded a spot on the CalACT Wall of Excellence which recognizes individuals who have had a long and distinguished career in public transportation and have made outstanding contributions to CalACT and the transportation industry.

“Under the leadership of CEO Jeanne Krieg, Tri Delta Transit is a very forward thinking and innovative agency,” said then Board Chair Ken Gray. “Tri Delta Transit has been first adaptors of electric and hydrogen technology, use of various app technology, and in the forefront of employee practices to retain employees and create an optimal work environment.”

CalACT is a statewide, non-profit organization that represents the interests of small, rural and specialized transportation providers. CalACT, who have been in existence since 1984, promotes: striving for professional excellence in the field of transportation; that mobility is essential to the freedom and quality of life for everyone; and that agencies can create solutions by working together. CalACT acts as advocates for the industry, provides resources, sponsors conferences that promote idea and knowledge sharing, and implements programs such as bus procurement cooperative.

“I was surprised and humbled by this recognition from my industry,” Krieg said. “All of the employees and board members at Tri Delta Transit are a part of this award: their support, dedication, and hard work are what makes our agency successful.”

ABOUT TRI DELTA TRANSIT

Tri Delta Transit provides over two million trips each year to a population of over 315,000 residents in the 225 square miles of Eastern Contra Costa County. They currently operate 15 local bus routes Monday – Friday, five local bus routes on weekends, door-to-door bus service for senior citizens and people with disabilities, and on-demand rideshare services. To learn more, visit TriDeltaTransit.com.