Local News

Fresno Weekend DUI Saturation Patrol Nets 12 DUI Arrests

FRESNO - The Police Department Traffic Unit of the Fresno Police Department conducted a DUI Saturation Patrol on February 24, 2018, between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. High Visibility Enforcement efforts like this have a deterrent effect, lowering the incidents of impaired driving.

In recent years, California has seen a disturbing increase in drug-impaired driving crashes. Fresno PD supports the new effort from the Office of Traffic Safety that aims to educate all drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you might be impaired enough to get a DUI. Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI.

High Speed Pursuit Leads to CHP Officer Involved Shooting

MADERA – The Madera County Sheriff’s Department is currently investigating a California Highway Patrol officer involved shooting following a multiple-freeway high speed chase involving several officers an lasting over twenty minutes.

Early Saturday morning California Highway Patrol Officers initiated a vehicle stop for speeding on Highway 152 just West of Freeway 99. The vehicle failed to yield, increased its speed, and continued travelling southbound on Highway 99.

California Correctional Institution Investigating Inmate Death as a Homicide

TEHACHAPI – California Correctional Institution (CCI) officials are investigating the death of an inmate as a homicide. At 11:26 p.m., Friday, Feb. 16, staff conducting the institutional count on a Facility A housing unit discovered inmate Joshua Powers, 29, actively striking his cellmate Kevin Mansfield, 37, who was face down on the floor and appeared unconscious.

Staff ordered Powers to stop his assault and used pepper spray when he ignored commands. When Powers continued to strike Mansfield, staff made emergency entry into the cell and used batons and physical force to remove Powers from the cell and place him in restraints.

Six More Defendants Indicted in Multi-Agency Investigation into Coordinated Criminal Activity Centered in Woodland

SACRAMENTO - A federal grand jury returned five indictments today against six additional defendants arrested as part of last week’s multi-agency coordinated series of searches and arrests throughout Northern California, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

These new indictments arise from a multi-agency law enforcement investigation focused on Woodland, but which spread to multiple counties in Northern California and to two additional states.

Felony Arrest for Possession of a Stolen Vehicle in Oakhurst

OAKHUST - On February 19, 2018, Madera County Sheriff’s Office received information from Colusa Police Department that a vehicle reported stolen from their jurisdiction was in the Oakhurst area. MCSO Deputies promptly began following leads to the location of the suspect, John Ruano. During the course of the investigation, deputies developed information that Ruano was going to drive the vehicle to a parking lot in Oakhurst.

When Ruano arrived driving the stolen vehicle, Sergeant Rob Blehm, Corporal Hernandez, Deputy Michael Murphy, Deputy Gerald Marin, Deputy Jose Villafan, and Deputy Eric Jackson with K9 partner Gaston were on scene and subsequently surrounded the vehicle. Ruano immediately surrendered and was taken into custody.