By Allen Payton

The signature gathering effort to place an initiative on the November ballot for an event center on the old Antioch Lumber Company lot in downtown failed to gather the necessary signatures to qualify.

In a July 19th letter from Antioch City Clerk Arne Simonsen to Jim Lanter, the lead organizer for the initiative, it was revealed that the 10% random count of the 5,149 signatures by the county Clerk-Record-Elections Department produced only 394 valid signatures, short of the 500 necessary to conduct a full count.

Joy Motts, one of the organizers of the effort shared her thoughts.

“It’s a bump in the road, here,” she said. “We’re going to fight on. It was one way we were going forward. The 500 random process is just the way it is. I would have preferred they did a 100% verification but they don’t. It’s not over for us. We’ll be moving forward, just in a different direction.”

Asked if the council approves the sale of the property to a developer, could the next effort be a referendum, she responded “The council could vote. We will do everything we can to stop that from happening. You still have over 5,000 people who signed the petitions who said they want a different alternative on that parcel. That’s a significant statement.”

“You would think the council and staff would have a conversation with us,” she added. “But they didn’t.”

When asked if more signatures can be gathered and added to those already submitted, Motts said “I’m not sure. We may have to submit all over again, once you submit them.”

Both County Clerk-Recorder Joe Canciamilla and Simonsen provided the bad news.

“They have to start all over and resubmit,” Canciamilla stated. “Once they submit their signatures they can’t add to them.”

Simonsen concurred, stating “They have to start all over again from scratch per state Elections Code 9115 (e).”

To read the letters from Simonsen and the Clerk-Recorder-Elections Department, click here:Letter to Jim Lanter dated 7-19-2016

 

 

 

Antioch Police highlights as published in Assistant City Manager Ron Bernal’s Weekly Report dated July 15, 2016 and provided by Chief of Police Allan Cantando.

Calls for Service and Arrest Data Time Period Summary:

07/07/16 00:00:00 – 07/13/16 23:59:59

Number of Calls for Service: 1,678

Number of Case Reports: 273

Number of Arrests: 76

Felony: 28

Misdemeanor: 48

Arrests with DUI charge: 5

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

• ·On 7/13/16 at 10:45 pm, security called APD dispatch regarding a large number of teens (100+) in and around the Antioch Marina. Upon arrival, it was learned they had gathered playing on the Pokeman Go APP. All of the kids remained calm and peaceful. They left a short time later.
• ·On 7/13/16 at 7:13 pm, 29 year old Joseph Dalessio was contacted on E. 18^th St. and Drive-In Way after an officer recognized him and knew he had a warrant. He was contacted and arrested without incident and booked into county jail.
• ·On 7/13/16 at 5:21 p.m., APD received calls that 34 year old Anthony Raby was in the center of the 2500 block of Blacktail Ct. on the phone and waving a gun around in the air. Upon arrival, witnesses directed officers to Raby’s residence. Contact was made at the door and when asked to show his hands, he produced a loaded Glock pistol from behind his leg in his hand. He was ordered to drop the gun and he complied. He was taken into custody without further incident and found to be heavily intoxicated. He admitted to having his gun out and waving it around. Raby was booked into county jail.
• ·On 7/13/16 at 3:27 pm, 38 year old Juan Martinez went into Lowes at 1951 Auto Center Dr. and put a hammer in his pocket as if he was going to steal it. While Martinez was in the store he removed the hammer and put it back. Loss prevention stopped Martinez as he was leaving and accused him of having the hammer. Martinez showed Salinas that he did not have a hammer on him and Martinez went to his car. Martinez then drove in front of the store several times and brandished what appeared to be a semi-automatic pistol. He made threats to use the gun on the loss prevention officer. An APD officer was able to determine where Martinez lived and contacted him at his residence. Martinez was taken into custody. During a search, a starter pistol was located inside of the vehicle Martinez was driving. A sawed off shotgun was located in another vehicle at the residence. Martinez admitted to owning the shotgun and has two prior felony convictions, therefore is prohibited from owning firearms. Martinez was arrested and later booked into county jail.
• ·On 7/12/16 at 12:15 pm, the victim was driving in the area of Buchanan Rd. and Gentrytown Dr. when her vehicle was sideswiped by a vehicle driven by 46 year old Brian Scott. He fled the area with the victim following. Scott drove into the area of Stapleton Dr. where the victim stopped and waited for police to arrive. Officers located Scott driving back towards Buchanan Rd., but he made an abrupt stop and fled on foot. Scott was caught by an officer when he doubled back towards the suspect vehicle. The victim and a witness identified Scott. The victim was injured in the crash and transported to the hospital. Scott was arrested and sent to county jail.
• ·On 7/12/16 at 7:36 am, an officer drove past 128 E. 7^th St. and noticed 35 year old Alexander Rendon get out of a car parked in front of the location with no plates on it. The officer turned around and saw there was a second person in the car, 33 year old Paul Brennan. He contacted both of the males and found the car to be stolen. The males were arrested without incident and both found to be in possession of shaved keys. Rendon was booked into county jail on auto theft charges and Brennan was cited for burglary tools.
• ·On 7/11/16 at 8:34 pm, a freight train was east bound on the tracks at approximately 40-45 MPH approaching the trestle near the A St extension. The victim was walking the tracks but did not hear the train or the blowing horn. The victim was struck by the train, which the force of the impact launched him approximately 150 ft. and he landed in the Delta just off the shore. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. BNSF railroad police were called and took over the investigation. According to witnesses, the victim was simply not paying attention. (EDITOR’S NOTE: A call has been made to BNSF for more details. Once received a separate article will be published about this incident).
• ·On 7/11/16 at 5:40 pm, 22 year old Shaquille Thomas is a sex registrant and transient. He came to APD to register and was found to be 17 days out of compliance. Thomas was arrested for the violation and released with a citation after completing his registration.
• ·On 7/11/16 at 1:29 pm, an officer was in the area of Delta Fair Blvd. and Somersville Rd. when he observed 54 year old Michael McKee in the median panhandling. Upon contact, McKee was uncooperative with officers, intoxicated, and on probation. This was the second time today we dealt with McKee. He was arrested and sent to county jail.
• ·On 7/10/16 at 11:24 pm, 23 year old Joseph Bonacci was driving while extremely intoxicated and collided with two parked cars near the intersection of Evergreen Ave. and E 19^th St. One of the cars was pushed from the street, over the sidewalk, and into a residential driveway where it collided with a third car. Bonacci’s vehicle sustained major damage and he fled on foot. Arriving officers located Bonacci nearby and he fled from them also. Bonacci was taken into custody and medically cleared prior to being booked into county jail.
• ·On 7/10/16 at 7:14 pm, 36 year old Gabriel Jimenez and 20 year old Sydney Frachon arrived at the Antioch Nissan dealership in a brand new Ford SUV. Frachon waited while Jimenez attempted to purchase another vehicle by posing as someone else and using a fraudulent California ID card in the victim’s name. Antioch Nissan ran a credit report using the victim’s name and discovered it was flagged for fraud. Antioch Nissan contacted the victim by phone and learned he was the victim of identity theft. When Officers arrived they detained Frachon and Jimenez. Jimenez continued to claim to be the victim until the fingerprint reader revealed his true identity. Officers were able to determine that Jimenez had also obtained a loan and purchased the Ford SUV that he arrived in from Livermore Ford using the victim’s information. A search of the Ford SUV revealed numerous checks, tax returns, mail, and other items suspected to be stolen and/or used for identity theft. Jimenez was booked at county jail. Frachon had two warrants for her arrest and was also booked at county jail.
• ·On 7/10/16 at 10:10 am, officers conducted a pedestrian stop of 47 year old Anthony Smith near Wells Fargo on Somersville Rd. He was found to have a warrant for his arrest out of Alameda County and was booked into county jail.
• ·On 7/10/16 at 2:00 am, officers were dispatched to the 2100 block of Cordoba Way for an unknown male with long brown hair banging on the front door and yelling obscenities. Officers arrived and contacted 31 year old Vincent Ciccone who was obviously intoxicated and causing a disturbance in the neighborhood. He was determined to be drunk in public and arrested. He was transported to county jail.
• ·On 7/9/16 at 10:06 pm, 33 year old Hernan Cuevas was contacted during a traffic stop at Hillcrest Ave. and E 18^th St. due to his inability to stay in his lane. Cuevas displayed objective symptoms of being under the influence of an alcoholic beverage. He failed field sobriety tests and registered over the legal limit on a preliminary alcohol screening device. He was arrested for DUI and transported to county jail.
• ·On 7/9/16 at 6:47 pm, officers responded to the call of a disturbance at the 1600 block of Sycamore Dr. 33 year old Jasmine Turner-Brooks was contacted in front of the apartment and found to have a warrant for petty theft for her arrest. She was arrested and booked at county jail.
• ·On 7/8/16 at 5:47 pm, 34 year old Raymond Smith was driving a highly modified 1930’s Ford pickup with a Corvette engine west bound on E. Tregallas Rd. He was traveling at a high rate of speed and lost control of the vehicle. He crossed into the east bound lane, jumped the curb, and continued through a fence just missing two construction workers. The vehicle collided with a house near Patricia Ave. and ejected both Smith and his passenger. Both were taken to the hospital with moderate injuries. Smith was under the influence of alcohol and arrested, but released pending further investigation at the hospital.
• ·On 7/8/16 at 12:12 am, officers were in the area of Taco Bell on A St. when they noticed a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot. Officers made contact with 47 year old Shane Agness and 35 year old Cherylynda Gordon next to a white Dodge Charger. A VIN check showed it to be a reported stolen vehicle out of Antioch. Both Agness and Gordon were found to have warrants for their arrests and they were taken into custody without incident. During a search of Gordon, she was found to be in possession of the keys to the stolen vehicle. Agness was cited and released with a promise to appear for his warrant. Gordon was later sent to county jail on her warrants and for possessing a stolen vehicle.
• ·On 7/7/16 at 10:22 pm, at 615 W. 19^th St. two unknown males wearing dark hooded clothing came to the front of a house in the 600 block of W. 19^th St. asking for a male who lived there. When told he wasn’t home, one of the males fired approximately 2-4 shots into the home. The males fled on foot going east bound on 19^th St. Officers located a bullet hole in the front window and one in the security screen door. Nobody inside the residence was struck by gunfire. The investigation is on-going.
• ·On 7/7/16 at 7:41 am, 18 year old Jordan Boswell and a female passenger were sitting in her car at the dead end of Prewett Ranch Dr. loitering. They were contacted by police and Boswell was nervous and lied about his name. Officers determined who he was and he was found to have two warrants out of Alameda County. Alameda County Sheriff’s Office responded to pick him up.

By Sergeant Tom Furhman, Antioch Police Investigations Bureau

Antioch Police Investigators presented the case of Scott Eastman, to the Office of the District Attorney on Tuesday, July 12, 2016. The Office of the District Attorney has filed murder charges as well as an enhancement for the use of a firearm against Scott Eastman in the June 25th shooting death of his father, Relis Eastman. Scott is being held on $2,000,000 bail.

No further information will be released at this time.

Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to call Detective Colley with the Antioch Police Department at (925) 779-6922. You may also text a tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using key word ANTIOCH.

Four more sworn officers were added to the Antioch Police force on Monday, July 11 during a ceremony at the Antioch Police Facility.

“Please help welcome these officers to our community,” said Chief Allan Cantando.

By Allen Payton

In June, the BART Board voted 9-0 to place a $3.5 billion bond measure on the November ballot to provide funding for repair and maintenance of and upgrades to the existing system. The measure will appear on ballots in the three counties of Contra Costa, Alameda and San Francisco that make up the BART District, and requires a two-thirds vote to pass.

The system improvements will take 21 years to complete, according to the brochure about the measure. To see the brochure, click here: BetterBART_Brochure

“BART anticipates that the 2016 System Renewal Program Plan will be implemented over the course of twenty-one years, commencing in Fiscal Year 2017 and concluding in Fiscal Year 2038. Projects will be accelerated as practical to maximize the benefit of planned improvements as quickly as possible.”

However, the bonds will take as long as 50 years to pay off.

“We’re not likely to sell $3.5 billion of bonds in the first year or even the first 10 years,” stated BART Director Joel Keller, who represents Antioch and Eastern Contra Costa County.  “There are laws that require you spend bond proceeds before you issue more bonds. What we’ll do is sell the bonds in what’s called tranches. Let’s say the first tranche is $1 billion and it takes us five to 10 years to spend that money. That tranche will last 30 years. If we do that three or four times, that could take the final payment out years. That’s really an unknown. It could take 40 to 50 years. It will be 30 years after the last bond is sold.”

It’s similar to the Antioch Mello-Roos bonds, which were to be paid off 20 years after the last bond was sold, the final bonds of which are finally being paid off, this year.

Annual Cost Per Property

According to a BART press release, “Estimates show the bond will cost Alameda, Contra Costa and San Francisco county homeowners less than a pack of gum a week.” More specifically, the cost will increase the average property tax bill by $37.21 per year in Contra Costa County if the measure is approved, according to Keller.

The annual cost is based on the appraised of property values, both residential and commercial, similar to the BART earthquake retrofit bond measure, which is what property owners are currently paying on their property tax bills.

For the BART Earthquake Safety Measure, which voters approved in 2004 and totaled $980 million, the projected annual cost was between $4.85 and $12.65 per $100,000 of assessed value. However, the actually cost was $2.60 to $9 per $100,000 of assessed value.

“It’s an ad valorem tax with a fixed cost to pay off the bonds,” Keller explained. “So, if property values increase, the cost per $100,000 will decrease.”

The 2016 bond measure is projected to cost $8.98 per $100,000 of assessed value. So a property in Contra Costa County with an average value of $414,399 will be assessed $37.21 per year.

Use of Bond Proceeds

The use of funds from the bond measure is split into two categories, according to the BART System Renewal Program Plan 2016.

Repair and Replace Critical Safety Infrastructure – $3.165 billion, 90.43%

“We want to upgrade our computer equipment from Pong-era technology to a modern train control system—which means less waiting for trains on crowded platforms and less frustration from delays. New maintenance facilities will keep the maximum number of cars out serving customers, so that fewer cars clog our congested highways,” from “The Plan” brochure about the measure.

This category is further divided into six sub-categories, with explanations in the brochure.

Renew Power System – $1.225 billion, 35%

Replacing Worn Track – $625 million, 17.85%

Waterproofing & Repairing Tunnels & Structures – $570 million, 16.29%

Modernizing & Replacing Train Control – $400 million, 11.43%

Renovating Stations – $210 million, 6%

Renewing Mechanical Infastructure – $135 million, 3.86%

Safer Station Access – $335 million, 9.57%

Design Future Projects to Reduce Crowding & Reduce Traffic Congestion – $200 million, 5.71%

Expand Opportunities to Safely Access Stations – $135 million, 3.86%

The bond measure brochure clearly states No general operating expenditures: The proceeds of the bond measure cannot be used to support BART’s general operating needs, but must be dedicated to the capital program outlined in this Program Plan.” Therefore none of the funds can be used for employee salaries or benefits.

According to a press release from BART:

The bond measure is a key funding component of BART’s plan to rebuild and renew its aging system, which faces increasing problems as various physical parts of the 44-year-old railway reach the end of their useful lives.  The plan replaces and repairs 90 miles of deteriorating tracks and other aging infrastructure in order to maintain BART’s excellent safety record and protects our environment by keeping thousands of cars off the road.

“This bond measure is practical; it’s dedicated to fixing what we have,” said Board President Tom Radulovich. “We have a responsibility to keep our system safe and reliable while getting the maximum value out of taxpayers’ investment.”

Over the past year, BART’s community outreach department has held over 230 community meetings with local stakeholders and civic groups to ensure widespread understanding of BART’s needs, and to hear the public’s thoughts about its capital reinvestment program.

Due to record-breaking ridership, BART has been able to find funding for many of the solutions needed to increase capacity, meet modern demand, relieve crowding, and upgrade the system.  That includes the newly arriving Fleet of the Future, the Hayward Maintenance Complex, and some of the groundwork for a cutting-edge train control system.

However, the cost of the capital projects needed to repair, fix, and replace worn rail, leaking tunnels, unreliable track circuitry, and failing power transmission equipment outpaces revenue growth.  BART’s plan is to dedicate funds from the bond measure solely to fixing what we have first – without earmarks, pet projects, or frills.

If voters choose to pass the measure in November, great care will be taken to ensure the public’s money is protected and spent wisely.  An independent audit committee will be commissioned to publish regular, transparent reports on how the money is being spent, with open, frequent and public meetings.

BART has proven itself to be a prudent and effective steward of public bond funds in the past, executing its 2004 Earthquake Safety and Retrofitting effort under budget with better and more robust results than expected.

Public transportation continues to be at the intersection of many of the great issues facing cities in the 21st century – and voters were wise in choosing to build such an extraordinary work as BART back in 1962.  Since then, BART has been a staple of this region’s culture, workforce, and values. As both riders and service providers, BART appreciates and is deeply grateful for the opportunity to connect residents to the people and places they care about.

Kerry Hamill, Government Relations Manager for BART offered additional comments regarding the cost and length of the bond measure, in response to an editorial by Dan Borenstein published in the East Bay Times:

The East Bay Times editorialist’s headline – that our bond measure will cost double what we are saying – is flatly incorrect, a conclusion drawn from a selective interpretation of our analysis. In order to assist BART’s Board of Directors in making an informed executive decision, a variety of scenarios were created with different variables relevant to particular presentations. The East Bay Times piece incorrectly appropriated data from these scenarios, resulting in an inaccurate characterization of the bond’s effects. BART has long taken care to illustrate the repayment structure of this bond in a standardized way; we have been doing so through all our exhibits and resolutions since the Board discussions began in earnest this past February.

The editorial also takes issue with how staff described the bond to the Board of Directors and the public, claiming we provided inaccurate information out of either incompetence or deceit – a charge which has absolutely no merit. Bonds are issued over time in subsets called tranches, each lasting 30 years (hence the name ’30-year bond’). This is done to coordinate the timing of bond issuance as closely as possible with construction progress payments, which minimizes interest costs and keeps the annual tax rates as low as possible – a prudent and responsible financial management practice. The editorialist was given this point of clarification multiple times as he repeatedly misrepresented the meaning of a ’30-year bond’ to mean the total span of time property owners would be paying – a false claim BART has never made. We were disappointed to see the author’s misunderstanding make the final printing, despite our best efforts.

The bond measure is projected to cost between $0.80 and $17.49 per $100,000 of a property’s assessed value, for a weighted average of $8.98 per $100,000 over the life of the bond – and for further explanation, that minimum and maximum range is based on the structure of BART’s projected debt service. The editorial’s repeated point that BART made a mathematical error in not compounding the increase in AV is also flatly incorrect, based on a misunderstanding of how the cost of bonds increase or decrease over time. The more the District’s assessed value increases (as housing supply, ownership changes, improvements increase), the lower the rate property owners would pay as the cost is spread over a larger base of assessed values. Furthermore, our models and estimates are built on the assumption of a 4% yearly increase in assessed value. $3.5B Scenario C Tax Rate At 4% AV Escalation

This is not our first bond – when the Earthquake Safety measure went before voters in 2004, the District projected that rates would vary between $4.85 to $12.79 per $100,000 of a property’s assessed value. Since approval, the actual annual cost has ranged between $2.60 (current year) and $9.00 per $100,000 of assessed value. Contrary to popular opinion, we have a proven track record of responsible fiscal stewardship. $3.5B Bond Financing

Concerned property owners are encouraged to do their own math for the sake of accuracy: $8.98 per $100,000 of assessed property value. When we provide averages for particular scenarios, we run the risk of appearing to conceal changes in amounts due to the many variables that can be introduced. Our goal is to provide people with a general understanding of a complex issue based on the best information available, which we have done and will continue to do. We are a transparent organization with deep ties to the community, and have held hundreds of meetings to ensure people understand what this bond is and how it will work. In that vein, we appreciate the opportunity to draw attention to our plan to rebuild the core of the BART system for improved safety, reliability, and traffic congestion relief.

Complete details of what is in the bond and how it relates to safety, reliability, and relief of traffic congestion can be found at bart.gov/betterbart.

Antioch Police highlights as published in City Manager Steve Duran’s Weekly Report dated July 8, 2016 and provided by Chief of Police Allan Cantando.

Calls for Service and Arrest Data Summary:

Time Period: 06/30/16 00:00:00 – 07/06/16 23:59:59

Number of Calls for Service: 1,969

Number of Case Reports: 283

Number of Arrests: 69

Felony: 32

Misdemeanor: 37

Arrests with DUI charge: 2

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

• ·On 7/7/16 at 4:09 am, officers were in the area of 85 S. Lake Dr. when they observed 27 year old James Ramey driving without a license plate attached to his vehicle. Officers made a vehicle enforcement stop and contacted Ramey. Upon making contact, officers observed a glass pipe and a bag containing suspected methamphetamine in plain view. Ramey showed to be on several counts of parole and probation. Ramey was taken into custody without incident and later transported to county jail.
• ·On 7/7/16 at 12:11 am, the 7-11 night clerk at 4355 Hillcrest Ave. was busy cleaning when a male subject walked in the store. The male approached him and put a handgun in his back. He demanded all the money and the clerk provided him what was in the till. The subject fled on foot towards Wildhorse Dr. and out of sight.
• ·On 7/6/16 at 10:10 pm, the victim was in the parking lot on Madrid Lane and was in the process of getting her infant out of the car when she was approached by an unknown male. The male pointed a firearm at her and demanded her purse. She gave the male her purse and the male then got into the passenger seat of an older model green Toyota sedan. The Toyota was occupied with two other unknown males. The vehicle fled the area northbound on Gentrytown Drive. A short while later, the victim advised the officers her credit card had been used at the Shell gas station in Bay Point. Officers responded to the Shell in attempt to locate any video footage, which met with negative results.
• ·On 7/6/16 at 8:32 pm, the victim was walking home on Country Hills Dr. near Wolf Way when he was approached by an unknown male. The male lifted his shirt exposing the pistol grip to a black semi automatic handgun. The male told the victim to hand over all his property. The victim gave the male his backpack and IPad in fear and went home to call the police.
• ·On 7/6/16 at 5:20 pm, officers were working a proactive detail when they observed a white Nissan pass them with no license plates. They made a u-turn but the vehicle fled west on Sunset Lane at a high rate of speed before they could turn around to initiate a traffic stop. The officers drove in the last known direction and found the Nissan had collided with another vehicle on the curve near Bryan Ave. As they approached, the driver, 33 year old Vitorrio Mercurio was attempting to flee but was quickly detained. The driver of the other vehicle had complaint of pain but no serious injuries. Mercurio complained of having a broken leg from the accident and both were sent to the hospital for treatment. Mercurio was released pending further investigation due to his injuries.
• ·On 7/6/16 at 11:51 am, 24 year old Mario Fregoso was driving recklessly in his neighborhood and collided into the victim’s vehicle near the intersection of F St. and W 13^th St. The collision left both vehicles with major damage. Afterwards, Fregoso and his passenger fled on foot. Several people witnessed the incident that knew who he was and told police. Fregoso was contacted at his residence and identified as the driver. The victim was transported to the hospital with moderate injuries. During this investigation, Oakley PD contacted us and stated the registered owner was reporting their car stolen. Fregoso was cleared at the hospital and then transported to the county jail for auto theft and hit and run charges.
• ·On 7/6/16 at 10:20 am, the victim was on vacation out of the area and returned to find his car gone. He reported it stolen and an officer observed 30 year old Arthur Castro driving it. Arthur had time to run into 2701 Carob St. A probation search was conducted and Arthur came out from hiding after K-9 announcements. He was arrested without incident however, his brother, 25 year old Raymond Cardoza chose to hide in the garage underneath some clothing. Raymond refused to come out and a police K-9 located him and took him into custody. Raymond was cleared medically at a local hospital and they were both booked into county jail.
• ·On 7/5/16 at 9:08 pm, officers were dispatched to Prewett Ranch Dr. and Cedar Ridge Way for a report of a male lying in the street yelling. When officers arrived, they contacted 23 year old David Bridges staggering in the area. Bridges displayed symptoms of being under the influence of an alcoholic beverage. He suddenly began to cry asking to be taken to jail because he wanted water to drink. His demeanor shifted and he became erratic making incoherent statements. Due to his intoxicated state, he was arrested for drunk in public and transported to county jail.
• ·On 7/5/16 at 4:51 pm, officers contacted 44 year old Anthony Davison as he was leaning into the driver’s seat of a parked vehicle at A St. and W. Madill St. The vehicle was determined to be stolen. Davison was arrested without incident and was found to be on parole for murder. Davison was transported and booked into county jail.
• ·On 7/5/16 at 11:08 am, an officer conducted a traffic stop at 18^th St. and A St. The driver was not able to provide identification and appeared to be lying about his name. The officer requested another unit and the cogent finger print device was used to learn the driver’s real name. 24 year old Adolfo Babino was found to have two warrants for his arrest. He was booked into county jail without further incident. His vehicle was towed with a 30 day hold.
• ·On 7/5/16 at 12:20 am, a clerk at the 711 located 2301 Buchanan Rd. called APD after an adult male entered the store and approached the counter with items to purchase. As the clerk was adding the cost of the items, the BMA produced a small handgun and demanded the money from the register. The clerk complied and gave the male cash from the till. The suspect was described as wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and khaki pants and fled on foot east on Buchanan Rd.
• ·On 7/4/16 at 6:39 pm, an officer was driving past the entrance to Lone Tree Golf Course and noticed a vehicle was trying to drive through the chain link fencing next to the iron gates. The officer stopped and noticed the chain linked fencing was wrapped around the rear tires of the vehicle making the vehicle disabled. The officer contacted the driver, 21 year old Juan Estrada, who stated he was inside the golf course area fishing in the lake and because he was locked in and could not leave, he decided to drive through the fencing to exit the property so that he could go home. Approx. 30′ of fencing was damaged. Estrada was cited and released from the scene.
• ·On 7/4/16 at 5:05 pm, 50 year old Bennett Gaxiola had entered the Starbucks 1896 A St. and was disturbing other customers. He was asked by the manager to leave but he refused. The manager called APD to have Gaxiola removed from the premises. Officers arrived and asked him to leave. Gaxiola would not respond or move at the request of the officers. As officers attempted to escort him out of the business Gaxiola resisted and a struggle ensued. He was placed in a restraint device and was transported to county jail.
• ·On 7/4/16 at 7:40 am, officers were flagged down by an employee at Starbucks located at 2504 Somersville Rd. who advised there was a transient subject inside the business. The male was asleep and refused to leave. Officers contacted 28 year old Christopher Black who refused to leave and yelled obscenities at the officers. When officers attempted to escort Black from the property, he resisted but was handcuffed without incident. Black was arrested for trespassing and brought to APD where he was released on a citation.
• ·On 7/4/16 at 12:54 pm, 22 year old Justin Banuelos was driving his motorcycle and was observed by an officer run a red light at Lone Tree Way and Country Hills Dr. When the officer fell in behind Banuelos, he quickly accelerated at a high rate of speed and blacked out his lights. The officer did not pursue but observed Banuelos run another red light and disappear into the city streets off Black Diamond Dr. During an area check, the officer located the motorcycle lying on its side in the driveway on Medicine Mountain Ct. with Banuelos hiding near the side gate holding his motorcycle helmet. He was detained without incident and admitted to running from the police because he did not want to get a ticket for running the red light. Banuelos’ driving record indicated a history of bad driving and his motorcycle was impounded for 30 days. He was transported to county jail.
• ·On 7/3/16 at 9:32 pm, officers responded to the Wal-Mart store on a report of an armed robbery having just occurred in the parking lot. Officers contacted the victim who advised she was loading her vehicle with groceries when a small white SUV drove past her, stopped, backed up and stopped next to her. The passenger got out, approached the victim, brandished a handgun and demanded her purse. The victim refused so he grabbed her purse, pulling her to the ground and was ultimately able to get the purse away from her. The suspect got back into the vehicle and fled. The victim had a complaint of pain only.
• ·On 7/3/16 at 3:39 pm, the manager of the Safeway on Deer Valley Rd. called APD to report 27 year old Shane Stange was trespassing inside the store and had just stolen a bottle of alcohol from the business. An area check was conducted and Stange was located near the Dollar Store in the same shopping complex. The manager identified Stange as the responsible and signed a citizen’s arrest form. Stange is also on two counts of probation. Stange was arrested without incident and booked into county jail.
• ·On 7/2/16 at 11:50 am, officer contacted 18 year old Jashuan Brown driving recklessly in the area of Silverado Dr. and James Donlon Blvd. Brown lied about his name and the thumb reader was deployed. His true identity was learned and he had a warrant for his arrest as well as a suspended driver’s license. The vehicle was towed and Brown was transported to the county jail.
• ·On 7/2/16 at 8:09 am, during the investigation of a suspicious vehicle at Gentrytown Park located at 2800 Carmona Way, 42 year old Brian Castillo was contacted and found to be a parolee-at-large. He was arrested and transported to the county jail.
• ·On 7/2/16 at 5:22 am, officers responded to Quik Stop on West Tregallas Rd. after the clerk called to report a subject had entered the business with a gun demanding cash. The suspect fled on foot when the clerk was unable to open the cash drawer. An area check met with negative results. A short time later, the clerk called back and stated a subject she believed was the responsible had just left the store after buying beer. She got a license plate and units responded to the registered owner’s house. The registered owner of the vehicle agreed to respond to Quik Stop for a lineup. The clerk could not make a positive identification. The registered owner stated he had just arrived home from work and had not gone to Quik Stop. The investigation is on-going.
• ·On 7/1/16 at 4:56 pm, officers were dispatched to the Lakeshore apartments at 600 Wilbur Ave. for a report of a vehicle collision. The driver, 42 year old David Frew, was traveling south on Cavallo Rd. when he left the roadway and collided with an iron fence. He continued through the fence and came to rest on top of a fire hydrant and tree. He had two dogs in the car as well. When officers arrived, Frew displayed signs of being under the influence of narcotics and had to be physically restrained. He was taken to a local hospital and eventually cleared for incarceration. There were no injuries as a result of the accident and the dogs were taken into custody by Animal Services.
• ·On 7/1/16 at 12:32 pm, APD Dispatch received two calls regarding 54 year old Michael McKee aggressively panhandling near Somersville Rd. and Hwy 4. McKee was contacted and found to be intoxicated. McKee is on probation for public intoxication and a term of his probation is that he cannot drink alcohol. McKee was arrested and transported to county jail for a probation violation.
• ·On 7/1/16 at 12:26 pm, security from Somersville Towne Center called APD regarding 27 year old Tyree West trespassing at the Mall. Over the past two weeks, mall security has created five calls for service for West trespassing. West has been warned several times not to be on the property. West was arrested for trespassing and sent to county jail.
• ·On 6/30/16 at 10:52 pm, the victim was in his driveway in the 3400 block of Gentrytown Dr. when two unknown males approached him. One of the males was armed with a firearm. The responsibles demanded the victim’s property so he gave the responsibles his phone and wallet that contained his ID and credit cards. The responsibles fled on foot in an unknown direction.
• ·On 6/30/16 at 8:20 pm, a loss prevention employee for Macys observed two males in the perfume section looking at perfumes. The two males were carrying duffle bags with them and began to conceal the perfumes. Loss prevention ran after the two males in an attempt to get the merchandise back. One of the males struck the loss prevention employee in the face several times with a box of perfume that he had in his hand. The two males then fled the store with the merchandise. The loss prevention employee suffered a minor cut to her cheek and declined medical attention. The responsibles were not located.
• ·On 6/30/16 at 9:20 am, a witness called APD because 28 year old Christopher Kliment was seen hitting his pit bull and picking up a smaller dog by the neck. Office rs contacted Kliment who denied the claims. The witness wished to make a citizen’s arrest so Antioch Animal Services were called out to contact Kliment. Kliment was issued a misdemeanor citation and Animal Services will be following up.
• ·On 6/25/16, at 2215 hours Antioch Police Officers were dispatched to the 1900 block of Biglow Drive on the report of residents returning home and finding their relative, 43 year old Relis Eastman, on the floor inside the home and suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was transported by ambulance to an area hospital, where he was treated, but died on 7/5/16. After a detailed investigation by Antioch Police Detectives, and after multiple interviews with Relis’ 22 year old son Scott Eastman of Antioch, Antioch Police Detectives developed the probable cause necessary to obtain an arrest warrant for Scott Eastman for the murder of his father, Relis. On 7/7/16 at approximately 9:00 PM a team of Antioch Police Detectives responded to the Eastman residence in the 1900 block of Biglow Drive, where Scott resides with his family. Detectives took Eastman into custody without incident. Eastman was booked into the Contra Costa County Main Detention Facility on Murder charges and is being held with no bail. Detectives plan on filing this case with the Contra Costa County Office of the District Attorney early next week.

On Thursday morning, July 7, 2016 at about 11:00 a.m., Detectives from the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff Special Investigation Unit, assisted by the Contra Costa County Anti-Violence Support Effort (CASE) team, served a search warrant at a home on the 4500 block of Elkhorn Way in Antioch.

During the search, detectives seized approximately one pound of heroin, methamphetamine, MDMA (ecstasy), and marijuana in sales quantities. The value of the drugs is estimated to be about $30,000.

There were also seven firearms seized, to include one shotgun, two assault rifles with hi-capacity magazines and four handguns, two of which were stolen. Detectives also recovered a stolen motorcycle. In all, over $76,000 in cash was seized.

Two people were arrested at the scene: 40-year-old Michael Green and 30-year-old Joseph Lowery. Both lived at the residence. They were both booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on various charges that include possession of a narcotic controlled substance for sales, maintaining a place for the purpose of selling drugs, possession of drugs while armed with a loaded firearm, possession of stolen property, and child endangerment.

Green is being held in lieu of $430,000 bail; Lowery’s bail is set at $340,000.

Elections Division officials discover 113 voters successfully cast two ballots in June election

As a result of an emergency accommodation to the California Secretary of State’s office, the Contra Costa County Elections Division has discovered that 113 registered voters voted twice and had both ballots counted during the June 7th Presidential Primary Election.

The Contra Costa Elections Division plans to send those voter fraud cases to the Contra Costa District Attorney’s office, Registrar of Voters Joe Canciamilla said.

Elections Division staff will also send recommendations to the Secretary of State’s office requesting a change in their practices for surrendering vote-by-mail ballots.

Contra Costa County’s long standing practice in administering state Election Code 3016 has been to issue provisional ballots to all vote-by-mail voters who surrender their ballots at a polling place. Part of the reason this practice is in place is to prevent voter fraud.

The process of surrendering a ballot as it is currently written does not provide a means of detecting or preventing this type of fraud until it is too late.

The County is urging Secretary of State Alex Padilla to seek urgency legislation or work with counties to eliminate this vulnerability in the election process for the November election.