News

Children Found After Abduction From Madera Foster Care: Parents in Custody

MADERA - After an extensive investigation by the Madera Police Department, the couple that abducted their children from Child Protective Services Saturday were arrested in eastern Colorado. The children, who were with them, were located and are in good health.

Donald and Mandee Murphy abducted two of their three children, a six year old boy and a thirteen year old girl, from foster care Saturday. The parent's had their children removed from their home and placed into protective custody with CPS on September 21, 2014. The Murphy's also have an adult son, Donovan Murphy (19) who was not with them.

Father Exposes 5 Year-old to High Levels of Methamphetamine Twice: DA Offers 90 Days

MADERA - In his yellow and white striped jail uniform, Wesley Irvine Potter (34) of Madera stood in front of Madera County Superior Court Judge Joseph Soldani Friday morning and learned he would be spending more time in the Madera County Department of Corrections. The step-father of a Madera kindergartener awaits his trial for two felony counts of child endangerment (PC 273a) and one misdemeanor count of domestic violence, his second in four years.

Potter, who is being held in the administrative segregation unit of the jail for his own protection from other inmates, was arrested on Saturday, September 6th for assaulting his girlfriend at their apartment at the 3300 block of Howard Road. According to the Madera Police Department the assault was recorded on video surveillance from the storage facility where their apartment is located. BVN will not released the name of the girlfriend because of the nature of the domestic violence charges of which she is a victim.

Father Exposes 5 Year-old to High Levels of Methamphetamine Twice: DA Offers 90 Days

Fifteen Charged in Chukchansi Casino Takeover

MADERA - Fifteen people involved in the take over of the Chukchansi Resort & Casino in the Coarsegold area of Madera County last month have been charged with multiple felonies, Madera County District Attorney Michael Keitz announced Friday.

On the evening of October 9th, armed men from the Tex McDonald faction of the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians of California, stormed the Madera County casino taking several people into custody. The raid was captured on the casino's video surveillance system. The casino was immediately closed and has remained closed ever since.

School Board Censures Trustee Cogdill For Threats Made to Superintendent

FULL AUDIO OF TUESDAY'S CENSURE ONLINE

BREAKING NEWS - The Madera Unified School Board announced its intent to censure Trustee Lynn Cogdill Tuesday night for unprofessional behavior, cussing out Superintendent Edward Gonzales and threatening to fire him if Cogdill is re-elected.

While Cogdill stated he, as one board member, did not have the power to fire Gonzales, Cogdill did not deny the language he used saying that, everyone cusses and I thought Superintendent Gonzales had a thicker skin.

Man Arrested In Assault Of Twelve Year Old Girl

FRESNO - The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office annonced the arrest of a transient Fresno man wanted in connection with the sexual assault of a twelve year old girl this past Saturday. Luis Angel Ramirez (50) was arrested Monday evening after he turned himself in at the Fresno County Jail.

Early Monday morning, sheriff’s deputies responded to the sex offense call west of the City of Fresno. During the investigation, deputies learned Ramirez, an acquaintance of the victim’s father, had kidnapped the girl from the front yard of her home and took her to a nearby truck which was parked on the property.

Ten Middle School Students Injuried in Golf Cart Accident

FRESNO - Traffic officers from the Fresno Police Department were dispatched to the Granite Ridge Middle School at the Clovis North School Complex Monday morning regarding an injury accident on the campus proper.

Upon arrival, officers found ten injured students, ranging in age from 13 to 14 years, on the campus walkway between two buildings. Clovis Unified School District Police were present as well as several school administrators.