By Sgt. Rob Green, Antioch Police Department Field Services Bureau
At about 5:39pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, a 20-year-old male was riding a dirt bike southbound on “L” Street at a high rate of speed, running a stop sign at the intersection of “L” Street and W 4th Street. The dirt bike collided into a white van that had entered the intersection, injuring the 52-year-old male driver. Officers were on scene within seconds and found both the dirt bike rider and the van driver unresponsive. Life saving measures were performed on both injured parties by Antioch PD officers. Unfortunately, the motorcyclist succumbed to his injuries at the scene. The driver of the van was transported to a local area hospital where he is still in critical condition.
Antioch Police Department Accident Investigators responded to the scene and took over the investigation, which is still in the preliminary stages. The names of both drivers are not being released at this time pending notification to next-of-kin.
UPDATE: The driver of the van has been identified as 52-year-old Guillermo Cervantes who works at the nearby Guadalajara Taqueria with his wife Liz.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441 or Traffic Collision Investigator Egan at jegan@antiochca.gov. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.
By Lt. Michael Mellone, Antioch Police Department Support Services Bureau
Following a thorough autopsy, the Antioch Police Department has determined that the body of a man found over the weekend on Melon Court was not the victim of a homicide. The exact cause of death remains undetermined; however, foul play has been conclusively ruled-out in this case. The preliminary investigation suggests that the fire was accidentally started.
On March 16 at approximately 6:51 PM, officers responded to the 2900 block of Melon Court at the request of Con Fire for a reported fire coming from the area. When officers arrived, they located a person deceased who had been severely burned. Investigators are now diligently working to ascertain the specific cause of the fire. Initial findings reveal no evidence of deliberate action, and no accelerants have been found at the scene.
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact Detective Palma at (925) 779-6876 or by emailing kpalma@antiochca.gov
Guns, ammunition and drugs confiscated from suspects in Sausalito retail theft on Monday, March 18, 2024. Photo: Marin County Sheriff’s Office
Both have history of arrests; a convicted felon, 38-year-old Jesse Martinez already out of custody
By Marin County Sheriff’s Office
On Monday, March 18 2024, at 6:34 PM, Southern Marin Deputies were dispatched to the Target Store located in the Gateway Shopping Center at 190 Donahue Street in Sausalito, on a report from security personnel that a woman was acting suspicious and possibly attempting to steal merchandise. The woman was associated with a male in a silver Nissan parked out front. While deputies were responding, the suspicious male and female moved over to the Ross Dress for Less across the parking lot. The female again went inside alone, and the male stayed outside in the car.
Upon arrival a Deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the male in the Nissan. The driver refused to stop and quickly drove away behind the Ross Dress for Less building. He was unable to leave the parking lot due to additional responding deputies and was quickly detained. Surveillance video from nearby stores showed the male suspect threw two firearms out of the car and into the nearby bushes while he was fleeing from responding units.
Both firearms were recovered; a revolver was loaded with four rounds. A “Glock style” un-serialized pistol had seven rounds in the magazine. The male was arrested for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, and ammunition, possession of methamphetamine, and fleeing from deputies.
The female inside the store was contacted and arrested for multiple “No Bail” warrants from Placer and San Mateo Counties and being in possession of fentanyl.
According to the Marin Co. Sheriff’s Office, Martinez bonded out of custody early Tuesday morning, March 19, 2024.
According to localcrimenews.com, the 5-foot, 8-inch, 185 lb. Martinez has a history of arrests over the past two years by Concord PD, Placerville CHP, El Dorado County and Contra Costa County Sheriffs’ Departments for crimes including drug possession, vehicle theft, receiving or concealing stolen property, addict in possession of a firearm and ammunition and carjacking.
According to the Marin Co. Sheriff’s Office, Lu is being held in the Marin County Jail.
According to localcrimenews.com, she has a history of arrests since 2017 by Sacramento County, El Dorado County, Placer County and San Mateo County Sherffs’ Departments, and Roseville, Colma, San Francisco and South San Francisco PD’s for crimes including intoxicated in public, disorderly conduct, shoplifting, resisting, obstructing or delaying a peace officer, drug possession, addict in possession of or who purchased tear gas or a tear gas weapon, looting, vehicle theft, grand theft of lost property, retaining possession of personal ID with intent to defraud and possession of burglar’s tools.
The Marin County Sheriff’s Office is appreciative of the watchful eyes of citizens, and civilian security personnel who call us when something doesn’t seem right.
By Lt. John Fortner, Antioch Police Field Services Division
On Sunday, March 17, 2024, at 01:31 AM, the Antioch Police Department Communications Center received a 9-1-1 call reporting a vehicle collision involving one male pedestrian in the area of 1800 Wilbur Avenue. Once officers arrived, they learned a Kia sedan struck an unknown male in the roadway. Afterwards, the driver fled the scene.
Officers rendered first aid until paramedics from the Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ConFire) arrived and took over. Unfortunately, the male victim succumbed to his injuries at the scene and was pronounced deceased by emergency medical personnel. The victim is not being identified at this time until next-of-kin notifications have been made.
During the preliminary investigation evidence and witness statements were collected. The investigation is currently active, and APD Accident Investigators assumed control of the Hit & Run collision investigation.
This investigation is ongoing, and we ask anyone with information to contact Sergeant R. Green (rgreen@antiochca.gov) or Officer J. Egan (jegan@antiochca.gov) of the Traffic Unit at 925-779-6864. You may also text an anonymous tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword ANTIOCH.
By Antioch Police Department Investigations Bureau
On March 16, 2024, at approximately 6:51 PM, Antioch police officers responded to the rear of the 2900 block of Melon Court at the request of Con Fire for a reported fire coming from the area.
When officers arrived, they located a person deceased who had been severely burned. The cause of death is unknown. The Antioch Police Department’s Investigations Bureau, consisting of Crime Scene Investigators and detectives with the Violent Crimes Unit took over the investigation.
The cause of death is pending an autopsy from the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Office. This is an active investigation, and no further information will be released.
Additional inquiries or information can be directed to Antioch Police Detective Palma at (925) 779-6876 or by emailing kpalma@antiochca.gov.
Councilman Barbanica speaks against the ordinance banning sideshow organizing during the Antioch Council meeting on March 12, 2024 for which both Mayor Hernandez-Thorpe and Councilwoman Torres-Walker were absent. (Video screenshot) Spectators watch a sideshow in Antioch on Sept. 24, 2023. Herald file photo.
Barbanica, Ogorchock want fines for spectators, greater penalties included
“This is doing really nothing. It is absolutely useless.” – Councilman Barbanica.
“I want this stronger. I’m not going to vote for it, this time.” – Councilwoman Ogorchock
“Yes, this is kind of a weak ordinance,” Mayor Pro Tem Monica Wilson
“You know how you get people? You hit them in the pocket…and hit hard.” – Police Oversight Commissioner Leslie May.
Public speaker says San Joaquin Co. Sheriff arrested 150 spectators, impounded 88 cars from sideshow.
By Allen D. Payton
During their meeting on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, the Antioch City Council failed to approve the second reading to adopt an ordinance banning organizing or advertising street racing, sideshows and reckless driving exhibitions. With Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe and District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker absent and Councilmembers Mike Barbanica and Lori Ogorchock changing positions on the matter, no motion was made by the three council members in attendance to adopt the new ordinance. The council had previously voted 5-0 to approve it at their Feb. 27, 2024, meeting, but the two councilmembers wanted a stronger ordinance with fines for those who attend sideshows and greater penalties. However, during the Nov. 14, 2023, meeting, the council majority opposed making it illegal to be a spectator at a sideshow.
District 2 Councilman Barbanica was the first member of the council to speak on the matter Tuesday night, under Item I on the Consent Calendar saying, “Yes, I voted for this when it came out initially. But it’s been no secret that I don’t think this goes nearly far enough. This is just a feel-good thing. The reality of it is, is our police department’s not truly going to be able to sit there and track down who organizes a side show. It could have been much more effective, a tool that was used much more effective if, in fact, we would have allowed our officers to cite. But unfortunately, there wasn’t an appetite for that. I think this is, it’s better than nothing but it’s pretty close to nothing. As we move forward with it, don’t expect to see a lot of citations issued for organizers, because the reality of it is determining who organizes something, how it’s put together is extremely difficult. So, it’s a tool on our books that we can all go, ‘woo, we did something’. We did almost nothing, here.”
District 3 Councilwoman Ogorchock agreed with her colleague saying, “I’m very frustrated with this ordinance, also. At our last council meeting when this was discussed I did vote for it because this is a beginning, it’s a start. But I was hoping the start would actually evolve into something.”
She then took City Attorney Thomas L. Smith to task stating, “I’m disappointed, right now, with the city attorney because I had a conversation with him, requesting that he reach out to other cities to find out what their ordinances were regarding the sideshows. Some of them have stricter ordinances than we have. I wanted it to go out across California to find out who else was doing different things within the state of California on this very specific issue.”
“Another part of the conversation was, we as a city, as we did with the rent control, we can make stricter ordinances of what the state makes,” Ogorchock continued. “This doesn’t mean anything, to me. This is just like a piece of paper saying we’ve got this ordinance. So, I want this stronger. I’m not going to vote for it, this time. It can’t pass, tonight. But if it comes back at another time it can pass at another time. But until we get some teeth behind this thing and make it to where these people are punished then I’m not going to vote for it just to have paper and say we have an ordinance. I’m not going to do it.”
During public comments, Leslie May, a member of the new Police Oversight Commission, said, “My goodness, I agree with Lori. This needs to have money. We need to put more money. You know how you get people? You hit them in the pocket…and hit hard.”
She also mentioned finding on Facebook “a link where these people are setting up sideshows. I called the mayor’s office. I think I got a call back from the police department and I told them where one big organizer was, located by Costco. They told me they couldn’t do anything about it.”
“The next time you rewrite this, you give the public a number directly into the police department to let them know and send a screenshot to let them know they’re planning this…so the police department can be prepared,” she added.
“Yes, this is kind of a weak ordinance,” Mayor Pro Tem Monica Wilson who chaired the meeting. “But I err on the side of I’d rather see something pass as a start. But this is probably going to be coming back.”
City Attorney Smith then said, “The discussion we had, previously was about misdemeanors and in fact, what we said was the misdemeanor was capped at $1,000 or six months in prison.” He then read from state law allowed either or both. “That’s what we have,” he added.
“What we did with the ordinance was, we found a gap,” Smith continued. “That was around the advertising as we noted in the ordinance, and we created a separate opportunity where we could apply that fine at the misdemeanor level. So, when we talked about the potential of what could happen to people who engage in sideshows, this ordinance provides an additional layer above and beyond what already exists. This is an additive tool. This is not something that is complete in terms of what the police officers have available to them when they encounter sideshows.”
Ogorchock responded saying, “Let’s talk about the misdemeanor. That’s the misdemeanor they get for driving. This is the misdemeanor for organizing. When we look…under remedies and penalties for rent control, we’ve added penalties to the rent control that the state had and we added more. We increased those fines. We’re not increasing anything, here.”
“It’s one of the things you and I talked about,” she said to Smith. “And I asked for another way to put more teeth behind this and to find out from other cities what other cities are doing.”
“We can put some teeth behind it and increase it. We can’t go lower than what the state says. We can increase it and that’s what I’m asking for,” Ogorchock reiterated.
Barbanica later said, “So, I actually had called…and hosted the meeting and Ms. May was in the meeting with me and she brought up the fact that we need to hit them in the pocketbook. While sitting in that meeting, I sent an email to the city manager and the mayor saying I want an ordinance brought in front of the council where we can actually cite people for attending these sideshows and there’s a financial penalty associated with that.”
“This has fallen way short of that,” he stated. “And each meeting I’ve pushed for let’s beef this up much more than it is. I can’t in good conscience just pass something just because, well, we want to say we did something. We want to hit the press tomorrow saying we did something. This is doing really nothing.” “Having this in addition to an ordinance that we can hit folks in their pocketbook when they’re out there destroying city property, and so on, I would be all for that,” Barbanica continued. “But all this did was just weaken this thing down. It is absolutely useless. You’re not going to hear a motion or a second coming from me, tonight on this.”
Ogorchock offered her final comments on the matter stating, “At the last council meeting, it was talking about having to reimburse for services that have to go out and take from other areas of town. The instance that I brought up was there were two firetrucks that couldn’t get to calls, because of these sideshows. So, whoever organized the sideshow actually stopped our first responders. So, they need to be fined for the diminishing of our services or paying back for our services.”
Public Speaker Says San Joaquin Co. Sheriff Arrested 150 Spectators, Impounded 88 Cars from Sideshow
Wilson re-opened public comments on the item with both in favor of fines for spectators.
Resident Andrew Becker said, “I agree with the comments made. If you’re concerned about being fined at a sideshow don’t be at a sideshow.”
Another member of the public, Eddie Gomes with ACCE, spoke of what is done in San Joaquin County. “Sheriff Patrick Winthrop, and he arrested 150 people. It was on video. Had the buses. Took all their cars. 88 cars. They don’t get them back.”
“I mean, you want to hit them in the pocket, have them kids driving their mama’s car and get it taken,” he continued to applause from the audience. “Laws can have law enforcement and getting on the internet and finding out where it’s going to happen, beforehand. I wouldn’t say a word. I would just show up just like the sheriff with the buses, take them away.”
Following the final comments from the public, Wilson asked, “Is there a motion?” Barbanica responded, “No, there is not.”
Since none of the three council members made a motion to adopt the ordinance, Wilson stated, “So, it dies without a motion.”
Barbanica then said, “I apologize to the city staff for the work you put into this. I know this had to be a lot of work. But I was pretty clear along the way where I wanted to go but I understand your position.”
Gun and ammunition confiscated during arrest on Sunday, March 10, 2024. Photo: Brentwood PD
Both already out of custody one – a former Deer Valley High cheerleader – on bond, the other with no charges filed
By Brentwood Police Department
On Sunday night, March 10, 2024, a Brentwood officer conducted a routine traffic stop in the area of Lone Tree Way and Fairside Way. The stop was initiated due to multiple vehicle code violations observed by the officer.
During the course of the stop, the officer found an un-serialized loaded high-capacity firearm in the backseat of the vehicle. As a result, 19-year-old Daekaylah Leiloni Little and 20-year-old Louis Edward Quinn, Jr., both of Antioch, were placed under arrest and transported to the Martinez Detention Facility for booking.
According to localcrimenews.com they were charged with carrying a loaded firearm on Person or in vehicle while in public place, carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle and a large capacity magazine.
At the Nick Rodriguez Community Center, 213 F Street in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown. Hosted by the Contra Costa Health Department’s Violence Prevention Program and Gun Violence Prevention Coalition, and Bridge Builders to the New Generation.
According the CCHealth’s website, The Violence Prevention Program uses a public health approach to prevent and reduce gun violence in Contra Costa County by providing high-risk populations with social support and services informed by evidence-based practices and equity principles. The program, established in October 2022, was made possible through a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative.
The Violence Prevention Program is partnering with community stakeholders to develop a Gun Violence Reduction Strategic Plan for the county. The plan will focus on developing social-emotional learning programs for at-risk youth, building workforce development opportunities and career paths, and working with communities to improve the physical environment, neighborhood appearance and community engagement.
Currently, the program is working with the nonprofit consultant on a landscape analysis of the county’s existing violence prevention efforts.
The Gun Violence Prevention Coalition is a diverse, community and multi-agency-driven collaborative supported by Contra Costa Health’s Violence Prevention Program. The Coalition seeks to increase collaboration among residents, community partners, and agencies who are interested in and are actively involved in reducing gun violence and advancing gun-violence prevention policies. The Coalition’s goal is to prevent and reduce the incidence of gun violence and its associated negative community and health impacts.
