News

Detectives Searching for Man Who Carjacked Uber Driver

FRESNO - Detectives with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office are asking for the public’s help to find 26 year old Samuel Escamilla of Fresno. He is 5’8”, 160 lbs. with brown eyes and black hair. He is known to have a mustache and goatee. He has a tattoo of the “Air Jordan Jumpman” logo on his inner right forearm. It is possible Escamilla recently cut his hair to a short length. He is a known gang member.

Around 1:00 pm on July 24th, Samuel Escamilla and Elizabeth Sage approached a 76 year old man in the shopping center located at the northeast corner of First and McKinley in Fresno. The 76 year old man works as a driver for the ridesharing companies, Uber and Lyft. Sage and Escamilla told him they were interested in arranging a ride later in the day, so the driver provided them his contact information.

Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom Campaigns for Governor in Modesto

MODESTO - Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom hosted a meet and greet in Modesto on Tuesday with over 200 voters and grassroots activists at the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 442 Hall. This event was part of a series of meet and greets the Lt. Governor is hosting with voters across the state to discuss critical issues related to California and how the state can continue to serve as a model for the nation.

At the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 442 Hall, Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom addressed the issues that the Central Valley faces such as homelessness, poverty, wealth inequality, technology, and education.

Update on Investigation of the Fresno Police Department’s Officer Involved Shooting

FRESNO - On Sunday July 23^rd, at 12:46 AM, the Fresno Police Department responded to the 2300 block of South Backer regarding a suspicious person in a grey Tahoe. A resident in the area reported that a vehicle was parked in the middle of the road and the male occupant was either drunk or high on drugs. The caller stated the male was talking but was not making much sense. A Fresno Police Officer arrived at 12:48 AM and found the vehicle partially in the street. The officer activated his overhead lights and the vehicle began to drive off with the officer following him. The vehicle accelerated and failed to yield. The driver refused to pull over and continued to drive on both city streets and freeways.

The Fresno Police Department’s Air 1 helicopter arrived overhead and started following the suspect vehicle. The patrol unit discontinued following the suspect and began monitoring from a distance. The Air 1 helicopter had its spotlight on the suspect vehicle as they followed it. The suspect drove through fields and back on to surface streets refusing to stop. The helicopter crew kept the ground unit updated on locations and speeds.

One Man Killed, Another Rescued After a Boating Accident on the Kings River

SANGER -Members of the Fresno County Sheriff-Coroner’s Air Support Unit were conducting a patrol flight of the Kings River, southeast of the City of Sanger late Tuesday morning. While nearing the Goodfellow Bridge, they observed what appeared to be a capsized boat floating in the water.

They observed a male subject standing nearby in thick brush on the bank of the river. The air crew then noticed what appeared to be an unresponsive subject floating in the river, not far from where the other subject was standing. The air crew radioed for patrol units to assist and they were able to effectively guide them, along with rescue personnel from Fresno County Fire and Sanger Fire, to the location of the victim.

Parole Board Orders First Fresno Dangerous Criminal Released Pursuitant to Pro 57

FRESNO - Last week    the   Fresno   County   District   Attorney’s   Office   received   notice   of   the   first   Fresno   Prop.   57   “Nonviolent   Parole   Review   Decision”   to   release   a   dangerous   criminal.

Danny   Ray   Lucero   was   convicted   by   a   jury   in   2013   of   two   counts   of   Assault   with   a   Deadly   Weapon,   with   enhancements   for   the   personal   use   of   a   knife.   He   was   also   found   to   have   a   “Strike”   prior   conviction   and   was   sentenced   to   11   years   in   state   prison.

Madera County to Conduct Online Tax-Defaulted Property Auction

Sale will open July 29^thwith bids starting as low as $5,766.00

MADERA - Following a successful tax-defaulted property sale in May 2017, Madera County is hosting a re-offer sale on Bid4Assets to return even more distressed properties to the tax rolls. In the May sale, 57 properties were either redeemed by the owners or sold at auction. The funds generated support essential county services, which can face shortfalls when taxes go unpaid.

“The Bid4Assets platform enabled us to sell over $1.1 million worth of tax-defaulted property this May,” says Tracy Kennedy, Madera County Treasurer-Tax Collector. “The goal of the sale is to eliminate shortfalls from unpaid taxes and return these properties to taxpaying status for the county. An internet-based auction utilizing Bid4Assets’ technology has proven to be an ideal way to achieve this.”

ACLU Sues Madera County for Violating Open Meetings Law

SAN FRANCISCO —The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California today sued the Madera County Board of Supervisors for violating California’s open public meetings law, the Ralph M. Brown Act, in changing immigration-related policy behind closed doors under the guise of making a personnel evaluation.

The lawsuit charges that Madera County supervisors failed to give proper public notice before they adopted significant changes to the way the county’s jail interfaces with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Made without public input, the decision came in a closed, non-public session, without putting the matter on the agenda or disclosing what the board was discussing.