Local News

Motorcycle Rider Crashes and Dies After Refusing to Yield to Deputy

FRESNO - The man riding a motorcycle who crashed and died after evading a Fresno County Sheriff’s deputy has been identified as 46 year old Robert Cooper of Clovis.

Just after midnight on Wednesday, a Fresno County Sheriff’s deputy activated his lights and siren in an attempt to make a traffic stop on a motorcycle rider at the intersection of Van Ness and Gettysburg Avenues in Fresno. The rider, later identified as Robert Cooper, refused to pull over. Instead, he sped away, reaching speeds over 90 mph.

16 Year Old Boy Shoots and Kills Father to Protect his Mother from Physical Abuse

FRESNO - Around 4:30 pm on Saturday, Fresno County Sheriff’s dispatchers received a call of an injured person inside a home on the 6800 block of W. Clinton Ave. in Fresno. Deputies arrived and found Javier Vera, 54, of Fresno who had been shot and was deceased.

Deputies learned that the husband and wife had been involved in a verbal argument, which escalated into physical fight. At one point, the man began to choke the woman. A short time later, the couple’s 16 year old son fired a gun, striking his father. The boy then dialed 911 to report what happened. Deputies responded, detained the boy and secured the gun.

Local Man Admits To His Role In Coordinating A Drug Deal

FRESNO - Rafael Delatorre, 33, of Fresno, California, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking crime, United States Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, on April 15, 2016, Delatorre used a cellular telephone to communicate with a local drug dealer and an out-of-town drug courier to coordinate the transfer of more than 30 pounds of methamphetamine.

Tulare County Man Pleads Guilty To Gun Charges In Series Of Armed Robberies

FRESNO - Javier Beltran, 34, of Strathmore, California, pleaded guilty today to two counts of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, United States Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Beltran was a member of a conspiracy to commit a series of armed robberies of gas stations, convenience stores, and liquor stores from May 19, 2016, until July 26, 2017. The indictment alleges that Beltran and his conspirators committed at least seven armed robberies in Tulare and Kern Counties between May 2016 and January 2017. The next month, Beltran and his associates travelled to Nebraska, where they committed two more robberies. They then returned to California, where they committed three more armed robberies.

2nd Annual Joint Meeting Held Between County & Cities

MADERA - Civic leaders from the City of Chowchilla and the City of Madera along with the Madera County Board of Supervisors gathered for a joint Intergovernmental Coalition meeting Saturday morning. With over 50 citizens and staff, the three government entities talked about shared goals and ongoing collaborative efforts to solve issues of common concern.

The meeting, hosted by the City of Madera at the Madera Municipal Golf Course, was steered by an independent facilitator, Bill Chiat, of Alta Mesa Group, LLC. The joint session kicked off with reflections on the progress made over the past year. Staff provided presentations on regional transportation, homelessness, economic development, and high speed rail followed by a raw yet constructive discussion on how to tackle those issues collectively as “One Voice.”