News

DA Clears Madera Police Officer in OIS of Mentally Ill Suspect

MADERA – The Madera County District Attorney announced Monday that he has completed his investigation of the June 16^th officer involved shooting of a mentally ill suspect that posed a threat to the safety of the general public and police officers at his mother’s home.

The shooting happened around 6:45 pm. that Friday evening near Wessmith Way and Lake Street in Madera. Officer’s say Sergio Manuel Valdovinos (32) broke into a resident's car and was smashing the windows of other vehicles when they arrived. He then forcefully swung a four-foot long shovel handle at police officers several times while holding a “shield” before a Madera Police Officer fired his department issued handgun eight times at the suspect.

Downtown Fresno Policing Unit Arrest Gang Member with Stolen Firearm

FRESNO - Earlier this morning Fresno Police Officers Eric Hull and Matthew Besoyan, who are assigned to the Downtown Policing Unit, were working proactive patrol at the Travel Inn and Suites in the Parkway area of Southwest Fresno. The officers conducted a probation compliance check at the hotel room of Dana Macklin, who is a Fresno resident and known to frequent the Parkway area. Macklin is on probation for a narcotics related offense.

Downtown Policing Officers Robert Saenz and Sean Morris began to assist in the investigation and a probation compliance check was conducted in the hotel room where Macklin was staying. During the search of the room, officers located a 9mm semi-automatic handgun that had a laser attached to it. In addition, several 9mm hollow point style ammunition rounds were located for the firearm.

Proactive Policing Takes Another Criminal & Gun Off Fresno Streets

FRESNO - Officers from the Fresno Police Department were conducting proactive patrol Monday in the area of Parkway and Belmont Avenue. They observed a Jeep traveling eastbound at Belmont Avenue and Highway 99 traveling at a high rate of speed. The vehicle made an evasive turn without signaling into a gas station which was closed for business.

A traffic enforcement stop was conducted for the violation and to investigate what purpose the driver had at the closed business. The driver was identified as John Graves (27). After a records check, Graves was found to be unlicensed and on court probation. Graves was also open to search and seizure. After a probation compliance search, Officers located a Taurus .45 caliber handgun in a backpack in the rear of the SUV.

CHP Officer Shoots Unarmed Man Following Carjacking: Officer Involved in Federal Excessive Force Lawsuit

MADERA COUNTY – Sunday afternoon a California Highway Patrol officer shot an unarmed man on Avenue 12 just behind the Branch & Vine Barn, an event venue where a kids party attended by approximately 100 people was taking place. CHP were in the area responding to a carjacking that took place at a gas station at Avenue 15 and Highway 41 when the officer noticed the stolen vehicle crashed approximately three miles from the carjacking on Avenue 12.

The man, described only as Hispanic and wearing all black, was covered in dirt and alternating walking and running west. ”The suspect was actively attempting to evade law enforcement officers as California Highway Patrol Officers and an Air Unit pursued him”, said Madera County Sheriff’s spokesman Kayla Serratto in a prepared press release.

Monday’s Solar Eclipse Educational Opportunity for 5th Graders But Other Students Left Indoors

MADERA – The first total solar eclipse in the continental United States in nearly 40 years will take place on Monday morning starting at 9:03am and ending at 11:41am with the most peak of the eclipse to take place at 10:17am.

The entire event will last over two and a half hours. While we here in the Central Valley will not have a total eclipse in this area, the sun will be covered by 75% of totality by the moon at the apex of the event and will not be safe to look at with the naked eye in the Central Valley at any time.

Detectives Uncover 23 lbs. of Meth Hidden in Car

SELMA - Detectives with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Narcotics Enforcement Unit have arrested 27 year old Osmar Jimenez-Pena of Fresno. He has been booked into the Fresno County Jail on felony charges of possessing drugs for sale, transporting drugs for sale and using a false compartment. His bail is set at $170,000.

Around 7:45 pm on Thursday, Fresno County Sheriff’s narcotics detectives made a traffic stop on a 2004 Ford Mustang. This occurred in the area of Manning and McCall Avenues in Selma. Detectives contacted the driver, Osmar Jimenez-Pena. During a search of the car, detectives discovered a hidden compartment and inside they found individual packages of methamphetamine totaling 23 pounds.

Deputies Arrest Man Who Fled in Stolen Car

FRESNO - Fresno County Sheriff’s deputies have arrested 41 year old Ruben James Zapata of Fresno. He has been booked into the Fresno County Jail. He is facing felony charges of: Auto theft, evading police, hit and run and possession of methamphetamine. He has an extensive criminal history and was arrested just last month, but was released from jail after bailing out.

Around 12:45 pm on Friday, a resident reported to the Sheriff’s Office that an unknown man had been parked in front of an apartment complex the last two hours, the engine to his car was running and it looked like he may be passed out. Deputies arrived to the area of N. Glenn and E. Gettysburg Avenues and found the reported red Dodge Challenger parked with a man in the driver’s seat.