• THEFT IN PARK: CERES - Police have investigated the theft of a marine battery used to run a pump motor in the front of Ceres Riverbluff Regional Park on Hatch Road.
The theft took place sometime between Nov. 3-8 but was not discovered until routine maintenance at 9:20 a.m. on Nov. 8.
• DRUNK DRIVER HITS PARKED CARS: CERES - An extremely intoxicated 29-year-old Ceres man was charged with driving into two parked cars in the 1700 block of Evans Road Saturday evening.
Police said that at 5:31 p.m. Gonzalo Cortes-Arreolla was eastbound on Evans Road in a black 1999 Ford Explorer when he drifted and struck the vehicles. Witnesses identified Cortes-Arreolla as the driver. The suspect consented to a field sobriety test which revealed a blood alcohol content of 0.32, which is four times the legal limit. He was arrested and charged with DUI.
• STOLEN CAR HITS HOUSE: CERES - A Modesto teen was arrested early Monday morning after he drove a stolen 1994 Plymouth van into the house at 708 Herndon Road.
Two occupants were seen fleeing from the 2:55 a.m. crash, running eastbound on Lucchessi Lane. Officer Josh Kling located Victor Cadenas, 18, of Modesto. and Jaime Rosales, 24, of Ceres, hiding in the 1700 block of Greenback Lane. Both men were identified by witnesses as the occupants.
Cadenas was arrested for auto theft and hit-and-run.
• COPPER STOLEN FROM SCHOOL SITE: CERES - Police have no leads in a theft of copper tubing taken the construction site of Cesar Chavez Elementary School on Whitmore Avenue.
Thieves broke through a temporary door in one of the buildings and entered an attic section where they committed theft of copper tubing found in an heating/air conditioning system. Deputy Chief of Police Mike Borges said the theft was committed sometime between Nov. 5-8 but discovered at 11:47 a.m. on Nov. 8.
Since the damage was an estimated $1,000, the suspect, if found, would face felony vandalism charges.
Anyone with information on the theft suspect is urged to call Ceres Police detectives at 538-5727.
• TEEN CITED FOR STEALING BEER: CERES - An 18-year-old Ceres teen was cited for stealing beer from 7-Eleven on Herndon Avenue on Tuesday, Nov. 9.
At 11:13 p.m. a clerk at the store called 9-1-1 after two Latino females walked into the store and one walked out the door with a 30-pack of beer without paying for it. The females left in a 1995 Suburban but the clerk was able to take down the license plate number.
Approximately 20 to 30 minutes later, police dispatchers took a call about a vehicle which smashed into a fence in the 1600 block of Lucchessi Lane. A witness followed the hit-and-run vehicle to the 700 block of Foster Drive where it was parked in a garage. The vehicle was the same vehicle involved in the beer theft.
Officers found Erica A. Jimenez, 18, of Ceres, inside the house and interrogated her. She was identified by the clerk as the woman who stole the beer. Jimenez was then cited for petty theft.
Since no one saw the driver and nobody confessed to the hit-and-run, police were unable to arrest anyone for the crime.
• ALLEGED 911 ABUSER ARRESTED: CERES - Police arrested a Ceres man who allegedly abused the 911 emergency reporting system after calling about lost cigarettes an estimated 20 times.
Joshua P. Mayfield, 37, of Ceres, who is blind and has a caretaker, called 9-1-1 at 9:49 p.m. on Nov. 10. Deputy Police Chief Mike Borges said Mayfield has called 911 about his missing cigarettes about 20 times despite being warned that the system is not meant for such matters. This time police showed up at the home in the 2600 block of Don Pedro Avenue, found Mayfield smoking a cigarette and arrested him for abusing the 911 system.
• DEL TACO EVACUATED: CERES - Employees of Del Taco on Mitchell Road were evacuated Thursday, Nov. 11 after a suspicious looking item was found in the flower bed.
The item was discovered at 7:20 a.m. and was described as a larger plastic case which was 8 inches by 20 inches and had wires sticking out of one side with C cell batteries lying on the ground next to it. Employees were evacuated and the Sheriff's Department bomb squad called in. The item was examined by a robotic device and determined to be a discarded VHS camera.
The incident tied up a police unit for two hours.
"We had to treat it as a real device," said Deputy Chief of Police Mike Borges.
• FELON WITH GUN, DRUGS, ARRESTED: CERES - Ceres felon Corey D. Prather, 27, was arrested Friday evening on drug and gun charges.
Felons are prohibited from possessing guns.
At 6 p.m. Officer Brian Peterson was in the area of the apartments at 1625 Richland Avenue and approached by someone who said a man was trying to get rid of an AR-7 rifle. Peterson located the suspect and was able to search Prather's unit since he is a felon; he found the weapon with 14 to 18 rounds of ammunition. Prather was also in possession of crank and a smoking pipe.
Prather was booked as a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a smoking device and violating the terms of his probation.
• ELDERLY WOMAN RESUSCITATED: CERES - A 77-year-old woman was resuscitated by police officers after she was reported fallen in her front yard and not breathing.
A 9-1-1 call was place at 5 p.m. on Saturday by someone who spotted the woman in a yard in the 1900 block of Wallace Avenue. Officer Joe Wren, who was on his way to work and near the address, was the first to make way to the woman who was not breathing and bleeding from a head wound after falling.
Wren started CPR and officers Jeremy Caron and Dirk Nieuwenhuis arrived to assist as did Fire Battalion Chief Randy Wheeler. The woman began breathing again and was rushed to a hospital. Her condition was not known.
"The family was appreciative of the officers' quick response," said Deputy Chief Mike Borges.
• STOLEN CARS RECOVERED, SUSPECT GETS AWAY: CERES - Two Hondas stolen in Modesto were recovered Sunday morning in the area of Venus and Moonview but a suspect escaped arrest.
Police were called at 6:52 a.m. about suspicious vehicles in the area. Officer Trinidad Viramontes responded and found a 1994 Honda and a 1996 Honda, parked on the side of road. As he started to walk up to the cars for a better look, a man, crouched down behind one of the cars, took off running southbound toward Whitmore Avenue. The man got away but was described as a white male, 25 to 30 years of age, 6-foot-tall, weighing 180 to 200 pounds, and wearing a brown plaid shirt which he dumped, black pants and white shoes.
Despite a search of the area by Ceres police and Sheriff's deputies, the suspect escaped capture.
The 1996 Honda was reported stolen in Modesto on Saturday, while the 1994 Honda had just been stolen hours earlier in Modesto. One of the cars was running and had a car key jammed into the ignition.
• SHOPLIFTING SUSPECTS ARRESTED: CERES - Two men were arrested Sunday evening for shoplifting at Kmart on Hatch Road, said police.
Arrested at 5:10 p.m. on Nov. 14 were Matthew R. Ward, 21, and alleged accomplice Brandon F. Wilson, 27, of Modesto.
Ward was arrested for burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, resisting arrest, assault on a peace officer and being under the influence of a controlled substance. Officer Brian Peterson placed Ward in the back of his patrol car and began kicking the cage. Peterson pulled over to remove Ward to have his feet shackled when Ward physically kicked him.
Wilson was charged with burglary, conspiracy to commit a crime, and two narcotics warrants issued by the Stanislaus and Tuolumne county Sheriff's Departments.
The pair were also in possession of goods taken previously from Big 5 Sporting Goods across the street.
The theft took place sometime between Nov. 3-8 but was not discovered until routine maintenance at 9:20 a.m. on Nov. 8.
• DRUNK DRIVER HITS PARKED CARS: CERES - An extremely intoxicated 29-year-old Ceres man was charged with driving into two parked cars in the 1700 block of Evans Road Saturday evening.
Police said that at 5:31 p.m. Gonzalo Cortes-Arreolla was eastbound on Evans Road in a black 1999 Ford Explorer when he drifted and struck the vehicles. Witnesses identified Cortes-Arreolla as the driver. The suspect consented to a field sobriety test which revealed a blood alcohol content of 0.32, which is four times the legal limit. He was arrested and charged with DUI.
• STOLEN CAR HITS HOUSE: CERES - A Modesto teen was arrested early Monday morning after he drove a stolen 1994 Plymouth van into the house at 708 Herndon Road.
Two occupants were seen fleeing from the 2:55 a.m. crash, running eastbound on Lucchessi Lane. Officer Josh Kling located Victor Cadenas, 18, of Modesto. and Jaime Rosales, 24, of Ceres, hiding in the 1700 block of Greenback Lane. Both men were identified by witnesses as the occupants.
Cadenas was arrested for auto theft and hit-and-run.
• COPPER STOLEN FROM SCHOOL SITE: CERES - Police have no leads in a theft of copper tubing taken the construction site of Cesar Chavez Elementary School on Whitmore Avenue.
Thieves broke through a temporary door in one of the buildings and entered an attic section where they committed theft of copper tubing found in an heating/air conditioning system. Deputy Chief of Police Mike Borges said the theft was committed sometime between Nov. 5-8 but discovered at 11:47 a.m. on Nov. 8.
Since the damage was an estimated $1,000, the suspect, if found, would face felony vandalism charges.
Anyone with information on the theft suspect is urged to call Ceres Police detectives at 538-5727.
• TEEN CITED FOR STEALING BEER: CERES - An 18-year-old Ceres teen was cited for stealing beer from 7-Eleven on Herndon Avenue on Tuesday, Nov. 9.
At 11:13 p.m. a clerk at the store called 9-1-1 after two Latino females walked into the store and one walked out the door with a 30-pack of beer without paying for it. The females left in a 1995 Suburban but the clerk was able to take down the license plate number.
Approximately 20 to 30 minutes later, police dispatchers took a call about a vehicle which smashed into a fence in the 1600 block of Lucchessi Lane. A witness followed the hit-and-run vehicle to the 700 block of Foster Drive where it was parked in a garage. The vehicle was the same vehicle involved in the beer theft.
Officers found Erica A. Jimenez, 18, of Ceres, inside the house and interrogated her. She was identified by the clerk as the woman who stole the beer. Jimenez was then cited for petty theft.
Since no one saw the driver and nobody confessed to the hit-and-run, police were unable to arrest anyone for the crime.
• ALLEGED 911 ABUSER ARRESTED: CERES - Police arrested a Ceres man who allegedly abused the 911 emergency reporting system after calling about lost cigarettes an estimated 20 times.
Joshua P. Mayfield, 37, of Ceres, who is blind and has a caretaker, called 9-1-1 at 9:49 p.m. on Nov. 10. Deputy Police Chief Mike Borges said Mayfield has called 911 about his missing cigarettes about 20 times despite being warned that the system is not meant for such matters. This time police showed up at the home in the 2600 block of Don Pedro Avenue, found Mayfield smoking a cigarette and arrested him for abusing the 911 system.
• DEL TACO EVACUATED: CERES - Employees of Del Taco on Mitchell Road were evacuated Thursday, Nov. 11 after a suspicious looking item was found in the flower bed.
The item was discovered at 7:20 a.m. and was described as a larger plastic case which was 8 inches by 20 inches and had wires sticking out of one side with C cell batteries lying on the ground next to it. Employees were evacuated and the Sheriff's Department bomb squad called in. The item was examined by a robotic device and determined to be a discarded VHS camera.
The incident tied up a police unit for two hours.
"We had to treat it as a real device," said Deputy Chief of Police Mike Borges.
• FELON WITH GUN, DRUGS, ARRESTED: CERES - Ceres felon Corey D. Prather, 27, was arrested Friday evening on drug and gun charges.
Felons are prohibited from possessing guns.
At 6 p.m. Officer Brian Peterson was in the area of the apartments at 1625 Richland Avenue and approached by someone who said a man was trying to get rid of an AR-7 rifle. Peterson located the suspect and was able to search Prather's unit since he is a felon; he found the weapon with 14 to 18 rounds of ammunition. Prather was also in possession of crank and a smoking pipe.
Prather was booked as a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a smoking device and violating the terms of his probation.
• ELDERLY WOMAN RESUSCITATED: CERES - A 77-year-old woman was resuscitated by police officers after she was reported fallen in her front yard and not breathing.
A 9-1-1 call was place at 5 p.m. on Saturday by someone who spotted the woman in a yard in the 1900 block of Wallace Avenue. Officer Joe Wren, who was on his way to work and near the address, was the first to make way to the woman who was not breathing and bleeding from a head wound after falling.
Wren started CPR and officers Jeremy Caron and Dirk Nieuwenhuis arrived to assist as did Fire Battalion Chief Randy Wheeler. The woman began breathing again and was rushed to a hospital. Her condition was not known.
"The family was appreciative of the officers' quick response," said Deputy Chief Mike Borges.
• STOLEN CARS RECOVERED, SUSPECT GETS AWAY: CERES - Two Hondas stolen in Modesto were recovered Sunday morning in the area of Venus and Moonview but a suspect escaped arrest.
Police were called at 6:52 a.m. about suspicious vehicles in the area. Officer Trinidad Viramontes responded and found a 1994 Honda and a 1996 Honda, parked on the side of road. As he started to walk up to the cars for a better look, a man, crouched down behind one of the cars, took off running southbound toward Whitmore Avenue. The man got away but was described as a white male, 25 to 30 years of age, 6-foot-tall, weighing 180 to 200 pounds, and wearing a brown plaid shirt which he dumped, black pants and white shoes.
Despite a search of the area by Ceres police and Sheriff's deputies, the suspect escaped capture.
The 1996 Honda was reported stolen in Modesto on Saturday, while the 1994 Honda had just been stolen hours earlier in Modesto. One of the cars was running and had a car key jammed into the ignition.
• SHOPLIFTING SUSPECTS ARRESTED: CERES - Two men were arrested Sunday evening for shoplifting at Kmart on Hatch Road, said police.
Arrested at 5:10 p.m. on Nov. 14 were Matthew R. Ward, 21, and alleged accomplice Brandon F. Wilson, 27, of Modesto.
Ward was arrested for burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, resisting arrest, assault on a peace officer and being under the influence of a controlled substance. Officer Brian Peterson placed Ward in the back of his patrol car and began kicking the cage. Peterson pulled over to remove Ward to have his feet shackled when Ward physically kicked him.
Wilson was charged with burglary, conspiracy to commit a crime, and two narcotics warrants issued by the Stanislaus and Tuolumne county Sheriff's Departments.
The pair were also in possession of goods taken previously from Big 5 Sporting Goods across the street.
