Two men are in handcuffs following their arrest in Antioch on Thursday. photo courtesy of Mike Burkholder

The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office began a long term investigation regarding an enormous outdoor illegal marijuana cultivation near mile marker 18.6 on Mines Road in rural Livermore. ACSO obtained a search warrant for the 200 acre property, as well as a residence of the primary suspect in Antioch.

On Thursday, August 11, 2016, the search warrant was conducted on Mines Road with the assistance of Hayward, Fremont and East Bay Regional Parks Police. CHP Air ops and our UAV team provided aerial support. The Antioch residence search warrant was done by the Alameda County Narcotics Task. A small, illegal marijuana grow, approximately two pounds of dried and processed marijuana and $10,000 cash were located in Antioch. Two suspects were arrested at that location on Barbano Court.

The Mines Road location consisted of three separate parcels which were spread out on the 200 acres of land. Over 4,600 Marijuana plants were eradicated. Some of these plants were over 9 feet tall and six feet wide. 100 lbs of processed marijuana, two firearms, and over $15,000 in cash were recovered. Eight people were detained and ultimately arrested for Cultivation and distribution of illegal marijuana at this location. A marijuana oil extraction lab was also located.

The land, gardens, and dozens of outbuildings were inspected by California Fish and Game, Zone 7 Water District, and Alameda County Code Enforcement. The Game Wardens located over 20 violations of environmental crimes. Some of the major violations were diverting natural water runoff, drilling illegal wells, and crimes of pollution which all severely impacted the environment in a negative way. Fish and Game reported there is likely over a million dollars’ worth of civil penalties for the damage caused by this marijuana grow. Cal Fire additionally evaluated the area and noted several violations regarding fire safety and endangerment to the environment.

The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office will be moving forward with the prosecution of this case.

Following are the Antioch Police calls for service highlights as published in City Manager Steve Duran’s Weekly Report dated August 12, 2016 and provided by Chief of Police Allan Cantando.

Calls for Service & Arrest Data Summary:

Time Period: 08/4/2016 00:00:00 – 08/10/16 23:59:59

Number of Calls for Service: 1,679

Number of Case Reports: 330

Number of Arrests: 81

Felony: 32

Misdemeanor: 49

Arrests with DUI charge: 4

The data is based upon unaudited CAD/RMS data at time of report generation.

• ·On 8/4/16 at 8:15 am a 56 year old female on West 20th Street called dispatch to report she was being threatened by her daughter’s ex-boyfriend, 25 year old Siosaia Vake, and that she had a restraining order against Vake. Officers arrived on scene and it was learned that Vake came to the residence and demanded that he be able to stay at the apartment. The victim has a peaceful contact order against Vake because he has been violent towards her in the past. She told Vake he could not stay and he threatened to kill her and insinuated he had a gun. Vake also threatened to kill her because she was a witness in a case where he was arrested. The victim stated that Vake was currently in her garage and she wanted him removed and arrested for threatening her. Vake was contacted in the garage and was told to sit on the ground. A large amount of suspected methamphetamine was found in his pant pocket.The methamphetamine was packaged in numerous small baggies for the purpose of sales. When Vake saw that an officer found the methamphetamine he stood up in an attempt to flee. Vake was arrested transported to county jail.
• ·On 8/4/16 at 11:48 am an officer conducted a pedestrian stop on Lone Tree Way at Sunset Lane and contacted 32 year old Christopher Smith. Smith was found to have a felony warrant for arson. He was arrested and sent to county jail.
• ·On 8/4/16 at 9:37pm 25 year old Monica Sahagun was contacted on a vehicle stop on Peppertree way and found to have a warrant for her arrest. She was cite released on her warrant at the scene.
• ·On 8/5/16 at 12:24 pm a concerned citizen called dispatch stating that they witnessed 29 year old Felipe Gonzalez beating up a female near Super Wine and Liquor on Delta Fair Boulevard. Gonzalez and the female were contacted and she had fresh bruising and swelling to her face. It was determined that Gonzalez had struck the victim in the face. During a search Gonzalez was found to have a glass smoking pipe in his possession. Gonzalez was found to be on three counts of probation, all for auto theft. Gonzalez was arrested and transported to county jail.
• ·On 8/5/16 at 5:30 pm officers were dispatched to the Somersville Town Center on reports of shots being fired near Macy’s. While en-route, numerous callers reported various vehicles fleeing and numerous subjects running. An extensive area check for any witnesses and/or victims met with negative results. Mall security advised of a possible verbal argument or potential robbery in the area of where the shooting took place. During a canvass of the parking lot, officers located two spent .45 caliber casings in a parking stall near the main entrance. Sears called to report two males had run through their store and into the apartments across the street. Sears believed the two males to be involved in the shooting.
• ·On 8/5/16 at 9:40 pm officers were dispatched to Camby Road on a report of a residential burglary in progress. Upon arrival, officers located a stolen SUV in the driveway. The resident of the home was deceased as of two weeks ago and nobody lived in the home. We were able to contact the owner’s son, who provided us with the code to the lock box. Officer Harger and his K-9 took a perimeter position in the rear yard, while Officer White and his K-9 searched the interior of the residence. While in the rear yard, K-9 Donna alerted to a person in the neighboring yard. Officers removed some fence boards to gain access and they contacted 27 year old Jessica Hulsey who was arrested without incident. Hulsey admitted to taking items from the garage and to knowing the SUV was stolen. Hulsey stated her boyfriend drove them to the home in the stolen vehicle and that he fled the scene upon the officer’s arrival. Hulsey was booked into county jail.
• ·On 8/5/16 at 10:15 pm a 29 year old male reported that he was walking westbound on Delta Fair Boulevard near Kaiser when an unknown male approached him. The male swung a backpack at him and struck him in the head and face. The male grabbed unscratched Lotto tickets from the victim’s hands and fled on foot. The victim suffered a minor scratch and an area check for the responsible met with negative results.
• ·On 8/6/16 at 3:21 am, 25 year old Nicholas Steacker was heading home when he veered to the right and struck several parked cars on Burwood Way. Steacker was found to be extremely intoxicated. The collision severe injuries to Steacker which resulted in him being transported to a hospital. A blood sample was obtained and he was released.
• ·On 8/6/16 at 8:28 am Shell Gas Employees on Auto Center Drive called to report a transient subject loitering around the property. Officers contacted 25 year old Cameron Alexander in the area and he was found to have a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and booked in county jail.
• ·On 8/6/16 at 11:21 am APD dispatched received numerous calls of shots being fired at the entrance to the Mall. Upon our arrival, we located 2 different calibers of shell casing in front of the main doors indicating this was a possible exchange of gun fire. The front glass doors had a few holes along with a vehicle owned by a customer. We learned two pairs of males were in the mall and had a dispute over a new shoe that was released at one of the stores. The males started fighting in the middle of the mall. Security was unable to break up the fight because one of the males in the fight had a gun and a second male standing by the fight also brandished a gun in his waistband. The fight eventually spilled outside where the gunshots were exchanged. One of the males took cover behind an unoccupied vehicle as the male shot back towards the front of the mall. The 4 suspects all fled the area and no victims have come forward. The investigation is ongoing.
• ·On 8/6/16 at 10:45 pm 37 year old Stacey Lairson was detained for shoplifting at Wal-Mart and found to have a felony warrant out of Trinity County. Lairson was arrested and booked at county jail.
• ·On 8/7/16 at 3:30 pm APD dispatched received a call of two males in the area of Spanos and Linden with one of the males being armed with a gun. Dispatch obtained a good description of the males as officers responded. Officers arrived in the area and found the males near Mahogany and Banyan. A 23 year old male stopped immediately but a 17 year old male ran from officers. Officers chased after him as he started jumping fences. We established a quick perimeter and he came walking out of the block trying to play off that he was coming from a house. He had discarded his jacket to change his looks. He was detained and identified and we located his loaded gun with 30 round magazine in the back of a dump truck in the yard he initially ran through. He was arrested and later booked in Juvenile Hall.
• ·On 8/7/16 at 5:09 pm an anonymous witness called to report seeing a male in front of Quikstop on Sycamore Drive who kept pulling out a gun and taking pictures of himself with it. 25 year old Andrey Bryant was located in the parking lot and matched the description. Bryant was found to have a loaded gun in his waistband. The gun came back stolen out of a residential burglary in Vacaville. Bryant was booked at county jail.
• ·On 8/8/16 at 7:55 am code enforcement officers went to a homeless camp near the foot bridge by the Antioch Marina. They came in contact with 31 year old Ashley Roja who was found to have a warrant. Officers responded and she was arrested without incident. She was booked in county jail.
• ·On 8/8/16 at 10:41 am the victim was driving eastbound on Lone Tree Way when she came to a stop near Eagleridge Dr. While stopped, her vehicle was hit from behind by 26 year old Terrance Hawkins. Hawkins got out of his car, told the victim that he was not going to jail and did not have insurance. He fled the scene on foot. The victim had complaint of pain and was transported to a local hospital. Her 14 year old son had a small laceration from the collision and was transported to a hospital by a family member. Officers located Hawkins approximately a half mile away walking towards his residence. He was out of breath and sweating. He was arrested without incident and positively identified by both victims. Hawkins was booked at county jail.
• ·On 8/8/16 at 1:50 pm officers were working a proactive detail and went to Lawton St. for a warrant service. Upon arrival, they located several subjects in the open garage. 24 year old Daniel Bell was arrested for two misdemeanor warrants and booked in county jail. Officers located approximately 1 ounce of heroin packaged for sales, scales and $460 in cash on 27 year old Durell Anderson. He also had a warrant for his arrest and was booked into county jail.
• ·On 8/8/16 at 7:19 pm officers contacted the occupants of an RV parked at Auto Zone. All three subjects, 49 year old Leonard Burleigh and 41 year old Sandra Cox were found to be on searchable probation. Over an ounce of methamphetamine was found in Burleigh’s property and just less than 10 grams of methamphetamine was found in Cox’s purse. Burleigh provided consent to search his cell phone, which revealed texts indicative of narcotic sales. Both subjects were arrested and booked at county jail.
• ·On 8/8/16 at 9:54 pm 38 year old Shadia Richards was contacted on a pedestrian stop on West 10^th Street. Richards had a warrant for her arrest. She was arrested without incident and sent to county jail.
• ·On 8/9/16 at 4:25 am 45 year old Anthony Wood was contacted at the Antioch Marina. Wood had a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested without incident and sent to county jail.
• ·On 8/9/16 at 2:48 pm officers conducted a traffic stop in the area of Mahogany Way and Dogwood Way. They contacted 20 year old Travonte Moore who was found to have a felony warrant for his arrest. He was later booked at county jail.
• ·On 8/9/16 at 5 pm 54 year old John Anderson was contacted during a loitering complaint at 7-11 on Buchanan Road. He was found to have a no-cite warrant for DUI. Anderson was arrested and booked at county jail.
• ·On 8/10/16 at 5:11 am officers responded to an alarm at Ace Hardware and located 24 year old Antoineisha Robinson in the fenced yard. Robinson was cited and released for trespassing.
• ·On 8/10/16 at 12:42 pm officers responded to E and W 7th Streets for a male subject kicking and punching a female inside of a vehicle. It was learned that 19 year old Dennis Carter attempted to carjack a 31 year old female and struck her numerous times with his fists and feet. A witness followed Carter and watched him go into an apartment on 4th Street. The apartment was surrounded and Carter was called out of the residence. Carter was arrested for attempted carjacking and felony battery and transported to county jail.
• ·On 8/10/16 at 4:15 pm an officer located a stolen Honda being driven by an unknown male. The officer continued to follow the vehicle until cover units could arrive. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle once the Honda turned onto the E/B on ramp to Highway 4 from ‘A’ Street. The Honda failed to yield and a short pursuit ensued. The pursuit was quickly terminated for public safety. The Honda was last seen going toward the City of Brentwood.
• ·On 8/10/16 at 11:10 pm officers were on routine patrol in the area of G St and W. 15^th Street, when they observed 25 year old Charles Costa walking on foot. The officers recognized Costa and knew he had an outstanding felony warrant for his arrest. Officers contacted Costa and arrested him without incident.
• ·On 8/10/16 at 11:51 pm officers were dispatched to the 7-11 on Sunset Lane for the report of a silent holdup alarm. Upon arrival, they contacted the clerk on duty. The clerk stated an unknown male entered the store with his head covered with a black jacket. The male pointed a silver handgun at the clerk and went behind the counter. The suspect demanded the money from the registers, and stole several cigars and Newport cigarettes. The suspect then fled the store on foot in an unknown direction. The clerk advised he was unable to review the camera system and was afraid to work the rest of his shift so he closed the store for the evening, locked up and left for the night.
• ·On 8/11/16 at 4:41 am an adult male, armed with a handgun, robbed a 20 year old female in the parking lot of Jack in the Box on A Street of her purse and cell phone. The responsible fled on foot and was not located.

According to Antioch Chief of Police Allan Cantando’s police calls for service summary in City Manager Steve Duran’s latest weekly report, there were two incidents of shootings at the Somersville Towne Center in Antioch in early August.

First, on Friday, August 5, 2016 at 5:30 pm officers were dispatched to the Somersville Towne Center on reports of shots being fired near Macy’s. While en-route, numerous callers reported various vehicles fleeing and numerous subjects running. An extensive area check for any witnesses and/or victims met with negative results.

Mall security advised of a possible verbal argument or potential robbery in the area of where the shooting took place. During a canvass of the parking lot, officers located two spent .45 caliber casings in a parking stall near the main entrance. Sears called to report two males had run through their store and into the apartments across the street. Sears believed the two males to be involved in the shooting.

Then, on Saturday, August 6, at 11:21 am APD dispatch received numerous calls of shots being fired at the entrance to the mall. Upon our arrival, we located two different calibers of shell casing in front of the main doors indicating this was a possible exchange of gun fire. The front glass doors had a few holes along with a vehicle owned by a customer. We learned two pairs of males were in the mall and had a dispute over a new shoe that was released at one of the stores.

The males started fighting in the middle of the mall. Security was unable to break up the fight because one of the males in the fight had a gun and a second male standing by the fight also brandished a gun in his waistband. The fight eventually spilled outside where the gunshots were exchanged. One of the males took cover behind an unoccupied vehicle as the male shot back towards the front of the mall. The four suspects all fled the area and no victims have come forward. The investigation is ongoing.

The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff would like to call your attention to a scam. Although it is not anything new, it pops up every now and then and usually targets the elderly. Fortunately, the victim in the most recent case last week did not suffer any loss.

The suspect impersonates a Deputy Sheriff and tells people that they have missed jury duty and there is a warrant for their arrest.

The suspect goes on to say the warrant could be cleared by making a “green dot” payment at various local drug stores. There were two phone numbers associated with this scam and they have set up an automated voice message claiming to be the Sheriff’s Office. In another variation of this scam, the suspect tells people they have unpaid parking tickets that can be cleared by purchasing prepaid debit cards at stores.

These are scams. The Office of the Sheriff does not have people pay fines or fees by through reloadable prepaid cards. Furthermore, the public is never contacted in this way.

Anyone receiving such a call should refuse to provide any personal information to the caller or simply hang up. Please contact your local law enforcement agency and notify them of the incident.

Thank you for sharing this post with others.

Some prohibited water activities still in effect

By Steve Duran, City Manager

Tiered water rates are still in effect and were calculated to reflect the cost of service to treat and deliver water to the community. These rates were developed independent of the drought status and will remain in effect. The State has officially declared the drought is over and removed the 25% statewide water conservation goal.

Beginning in June of this year, the City of Antioch is mandated to conserve water based on a three year projected “stress test” formula provided by the State. This will remain in effect until January 2017. Based on our results, we have a sufficient water supply for our water production rates and will not have a conservation target.

The City of Antioch is no longer requiring restricted watering days. We still encourage all conservation efforts where possible to protect our valuable resource. All of the “prohibited water activities” as outlined by the State are still in effect. This includes: washing off driveways and walkways, irrigating 48 hours after a measurable rainfall and irrigating in such a way that causes runoff to non-landscaped areas.

To see a complete list, search saveourwater.com or other similar websites on the California drought. Water customers did a fantastic job with their water conservation efforts. We were able to meet our State mandated goal of 28%.

Thank you all for the conservation efforts and success we achieved. Please continue to protect this precious and limited resource.

No challengers for City Clerk, Treasurer

By Allen Payton

The smell of blood is in the water and the sharks are circling. All incumbents have filed to run for re-election, in the eight local races for the November elections in Antioch, with six facing multiple challengers. Filing closed Friday, with Antioch City Clerk Arne Simonsen and City Treasurer Donna Conley  facing re-electing without opposition.

Mayor

In the race for Mayor, incumbent Wade Harper will face three challengers in his bid for re-election, including Mayor Pro Tem Lori Ogorchock, local chiropractor and Antioch Chamber of Commerce CEO Dr. Sean Wright, and businessman Gilbert “Gil” Murillo.

Harper was first elected to the city council in 2010, after serving two years as an appointed member of the Antioch School Board. He was elected Mayor in 2012. He ran for County Supervisor in this June’s election, coming in fourth in the race of six candidates, and garnering the second highest number of votes in Antioch.

Ogorchock was the top vote-getter in the 2014 city council race, which earned her the title and position of Mayor Pro Tem, which is the same as vice mayor in other cities. Wright is a one-time unsuccessful candidate for the Antioch School Board and currently serves on the Antioch Economic Development Commission. This is Murillo’s first campaign for public office.

City Council – 2 Seats

Council Members Mary Rocha and Monica Wilson will face four challengers, including one-time council candidates Lamar Thorpe and Karl Dietzel, who both ran and lost in 2014, coming in fourth and a distant sixth respectively, as well as local business owner Ken Turnage II, and retired program manager Fred Rouse.

This will be Rocha’s fourth time running for election to the city council. She was first elected in 1986, lost in 1990, and was elected again in 1992. Rocha was then elected Mayor in 1996 and instead of running for re-election in 2000, chose to run for County Supervisor, losing to Federal Glover. She came back in 2008 and was elected to the council, again after having run unsuccessfully for County Supervisor against Glover, again, placing fourth in the June primary, that year. Prior to her service on the council, Rocha served on the Antioch School Board for 16 years.

This will be Wilson’s first bid for re-election. Like Harper, she also ran for County Supervisor in the June election, and placed fifth while garnering the fourth highest number of votes in Antioch.

Thorpe, a university administrator, is a former member of the Antioch Economic Development Commission, having been removed earlier this year by a vote of the city council, for leading the effort to pass Measure E which was funded by a Pacheco-based casino to prevent Kelly’s Restaurant and Card Room from reopening in Antioch. He was also removed as Wilson’s Alternate Council Member the same night.

Dietzel, who is retired, regularly attends council meetings and has been a critic of the current council. He helped lead the unsuccessful fight against Measure C, the half-cent sales tax for more police in 2013. Turnage serves on the Economic Development Commission and was honored as the 2015 Antioch Citizen of the Year. Rouse is serving for a second time on the City of Antioch Board for Administrative Appeals.

According to Simonsen, both Thorpe and Dietzel filed their nomination papers on Thursday, but his office is waiting for the County Elections Office to verify the signatures of those who signed. Candidates must submit at least 20 and no more than 30 valid signatures of registered voters who live within the city or district they’re running to represent, as nominators.

School Board – 3 Seats

Incumbent Diane Gibson-Gray will seek re-election for her third term, after an unsuccessful attempt for city council in 2014, coming in third. Appointed school board trustees Fernando Navarro and Alonzo Terry will both seek the public’s confirmation of their appointments to the board to fill vacancies created by the resignations of former trustees Barbara Cowan, last fall and Claire Smith, this spring.

Five of the challengers include former trustees Joy Motts and Gary Hack, who didn’t pull his required filing his papers until Wednesday. He filed them the same day. The other three are local news website publisher Mike Burkholder who ran unsuccessfully in 2014 for the Ironhouse Sanitary District Board in Oakley, and teacher Crystal White.

CORRECTION: James Beck pulled papers but did not file, as was previously stated.

The election is on Tuesday, November 8.

Assemblymember Jim Frazier (D – Oakley) issued the following statement after the Joint Legislative Audit Committee approved a request by a coalition of Delta representatives to take a closer look at the funding of the Delta tunnels project, now known as the California WaterFix:

“Since being elected to the Assembly, I have continuously fought against any new water conveyance project in the Delta,” Fraizer stated. “Major concerns have been raised regarding a secure financial plan with both the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) and the California WaterFix/EcoRestore.

“As the representative and a long-time citizen of Assembly District 11, known as ‘The Heart of the Delta,’ this issue has always been a priority. As chair of the Assembly Accountability and Administrative Review Committee, I held the first legislative oversight hearing on the BDCP’s funding structure, allowing the public and Legislature a forum to voice concerns and identify shortfalls. I’ve also carried legislation to address these worries; such as AB 2583, which would have resolved many of the concerns raised in the recently approved audit request.

“Little by little, each of these attempts has resulted in increased awareness and understanding of this critical issue. I am pleased that my colleagues on the Joint Legislative Audit Committee understood the importance of taking a closer look at these uncertainties and I look forward to reviewing the results.”

The victims’ car following the chase and collision with her ex-boyfriend and father of their son, Thursday morning. photo provided by Antioch Police

Joshua Dillard

On Thursday, August 11, 2016 at approximately 11:47 AM, Antioch Police Department dispatch received a call from a female victim, who stated her ex-boyfriend and father of her child was chasing the victims’ car. During the call the female victim stated that the male suspect was ramming her vehicle. APD dispatch started receiving multiple phone calls from citizens regarding the incident reporting a major traffic collision on Hillcrest Avenue at Via Dora Drive and that the male suspect had forced the victims into his car.

Officers arrived on the scene and found the victims’ vehicle which had sustained major damage and the victims were not at the scene. A short time later a local hospital called and stated the two victims, a 23-year-old Antioch woman and their three-year-old son, were dropped off and being treated.

The male suspect, identified as Joshua Dillard, age 23 of Oakland, left the hospital but returned a short time later and was taken into custody. Dillard was arrested for attempted murder, child endangerment and domestic violence and later transported to the Martinez Detention Facility with a bail of $1,195,000.

There will be no further information released regarding this case at this time. 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.