News

New Oakhurst Government Center Provides One-Stop Shop Services for Mountain Community

OAKHURST - Today, Madera County Supervisors past and present, its employees, along with thousands of residents in the Mountain Communities celebrated the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony of the remodeled Oakhurst Government Center

This long-awaited facility, located at 40232 Junction Drive in Oakhurst, will enhance local services, providing residents access to Public Health, Social Services, Community and Economic Development, Public Works, Water and Natural Resources and additional Madera County departments without the necessity to travel more than an hour to the Valley floor to receive services.

Fresno Man Sentenced for Embezzling Over $1.5 Million from His Employer in Nearly Decade-Long Scheme

FRESNO - Gabriel Ruiz De Chavez, 47, of Fresno, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to two years and nine months in prison for a multiyear embezzlement scheme and ordered to pay over $1.5 million in restitution, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

In July 2024, Ruiz De Chavez pleaded guilty to wire fraud. According to court documents, from 2004 to 2020, he worked as an operations manager for a Fresno-based trucking company. Between 2012 and 2019, he used his position to generate fake invoices, purportedly created by genuine vendors for goods and services. He presented these fake invoices and corresponding checks made out to the real vendors with his employer’s signature. He would then deposit the checks into his own personal bank account.

Prisoner Escaped During Transport to Kern County Courthouse

DELANO - California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) officials are searching for an incarcerated person who escaped today shortly after arriving at the Kern County Superior Courthouse in Delano.

At about 10:45 a.m., officials were transporting incarcerated person Cesar M. Hernandez to a court appearance. Upon arrival, Hernandez evaded staff custody, jumped out of the van, and is currently at large.

Oakhurst OIS: Madera County Sheriff K9 Shot: Suspect Nabbed

OAKHURST - Yesterday in the mid-afternoon, the Madera County Sheriff’s Communications Center received a report of multiple hit-and-runs with a vehicle in the area of Highway 49 and State Route 41 in Oakhurst. The suspect was driving a stolen vehicle, and the owner recognized it. The victim then called 9-1-1 and stayed on the phone with Dispatch, updating the location. During the call, the suspect also rammed the reporting party’s car.

Deputies set up a perimeter in the area to spike and disable the vehicle; however, before the suspect made it to that point, he drove the vehicle off the road and ran. Deputies then gave chase down a long driveway. During the foot chase, the suspect shot our K9 Obie with a shotgun, and an exchange of gunfire occurred. K9 Obie and the suspect were both struck.

Repeat Impaired Driver Sentenced to Fifteen Years to Life in DUI Murder Case

FRESNO - Yesterday, Joey Barron (35, of Fresno) was sentenced to fifteen years to life in state prison for the crime of murder for his role as the driver in a fatal crash on January 2, 2021. The crash claimed the life of 30-year-old Andres Adrian Romero. The sentence was handed down by Judge Jonathan Conklin of the Fresno County Superior Court after he pled to the charge on August 6, 2024.

Barron was driving his vehicle westbound on Highway 168 just after midnight when he approached the Shields Avenue offramp. He lost control of his vehicle while driving at a high speed, causing it to go up the shoulder embankment and roll. The crash killed Barron’s passenger, Romero.

Investigation into Car Shooting Nabs Two Suspects

MADERA - Early last Thursday evening, Madera Police Officers were dispatched to the 900 block of S. Gateway Dr. regarding an assault with a deadly weapon. Officers contacted a female victim who reported she was driving into the alleyway of her apartment complex with her two young children when gunfire erupted and struck her vehicle.

She fled the area in her vehicle and contacted police. During the investigation, it was discovered the victim’s vehicle was stuck several times by gunfire, nearly impacting a child in the rear seat.

Sheriff Shooting Investigation in Chowchilla

CHOWCHILLA -In the early afternoon of 11/16/24, the Madera County Sheriff’s Emergency Communications Center received a 9-1-1 call reporting a shooting in the area of Road 22 and Santa Fe Drive in Chowchilla. Deputies arrived on scene and discovered an adult female victim, who was airlifted to a regional hospital for treatment.

MCSO Investigations Bureau determined a shooting took place at a residence in the area and served a search warrant at a home in the 26000 block of Road 22. The circumstances surrounding this incident are still under investigation, and the suspect(s) is outstanding.