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CRIME DIGEST
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• PURSE SNATCHER STRIKES NEAR AUTO ZONE: CERES - A 78-year-old Hughson woman was injured with bruises to her arm and back when a man grabbed her purse as she left Auto Zone on Hatch Road at 8:59 p.m. on April 3.

The man was described as having dark hair, standing about 5-foot-6 and wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt. He was last seen running toward Cost Less Foods.

The woman lost about $400 in cash and all her personal ID.

• OFFICER SEES DUI CRASH: CERES - A Ceres officer who was in the drive-thru lane at Taco Bell on Whitmore Avenue witnessed the driver in front of him sideswipe a pole on the driver's side and tailgate as he left the food window.

The driver kept going so the officer followed and found Billy Gonzales, 23, of Hughson, was under the inflence. Gonzales was arrested for DUI, and driving on a suspended license for a prior DUI.

The incident happened at 10:41 p.m. on April 3.

• SUV CRASHES IN GANG MEMBER CHASE: CERES - The driver of an SUV said his vehicle rolled over at Eastgate Boulevard and Waynesboro Drive after he was struck by one of two cars that were pursuing him.

The 12:05 a.m. incident on Wednesday, April 4, may have been gang related.

Two occupants inside the SUV were not seriously injured.

Police received calls about vehicles racing in the area of Whitmore Avenue and Eastgate. The SUV occupants said they were trying to get away from two vehicles - a red car and a tan vehicle - which pulled up with occupants flashing gang signs and yelling at them. The driver of the SUV fled to get away but was rammed from the rear passenger side. After the crash the other drivers fled the scene.

The driver of the SUV, a self-professed ex-Surreno gang member, said he did not know the drivers but felt one was a Norteno gang member.

• TWO ARRESTED IN BURGLARY: CERES - Two Ceres residents were arrested after they exited a home on Thursday afternoon where possessions had been rifled through.

A neighbor in the 3600 block of Desiree Court called police at 1:12 p.m. to report two people rang her doorbell and when she didn't answer they went to the neighbor's house and did the same. When the neighbor did not answer they jumped the fence into the backyard.

Police arrived and set up a perimeter. Officers Brian Ferreira and Christopher Robinson detained Damarea Reese, 19, of Ceres, while Officer Ron Collins spotted Andrew Muniz, 20, of Ceres, jumping over a backyard fence as he tried to escape to Morgan Road. Officer Brian Albonetti arrested Muniz.

Evidence indicates that the pair had entered the home though a rear window. Nothing had been taken but jewelry had been moved.

"It appeared our suspects were simply looking for cash," said Deputy Chief Mike Borges.

Both Reese and Muniz were booked for burglary and conspiracy to commit a crime.

• OFFICER INJURED IN DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE: CERES - Officer Greg Yotsuya sustained a painful injury to his knee Thursday evening, April 5, when a man suspected of being under the influence of drugs dove into his legs.

Yotsuya and Officer Brittany England responded to a 5:50 p.m. fight call at Colony Park Mobilehome Park, 3939 Central Ave. They arrived and separated the male and female. A pat-down search was done on Sean Davis, 31, of Ceres, and he was found with a pipe used to smoke methamphetamine. Davis reportedly took the pipe and smashed it on the ground and began struggling with officers. That's when he allegedly dove into Yotsuya's legs causing his right knee to loudly pop. Yotsuya was on the ground and attempted to struggle with Davis despite severe pain.

At first, England thought Yotsuya had been stabbed and seconds later realized she was on her own to detain Davis. England was able to cuff Davis from the front but he began punching her with his fists. Additional units arrived and helped in the arrest.

Davis was arrested and booked on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, battery on a peace officer, being under the influence of a controlled substance, destruction of evidence, resisting arrest and violation of probation.

The woman in the domestic spat fled the scene during the scuffle.

• DRUGS AMONG CHARGES: CERES - A 23-year-old Modesto man was arrested Friday, April 6, for drugs and for lying to an officer about his name.

At 4:20 a.m. Officer Jon Vera made a traffic stop at River Road and Avon Street. The driver gave the officer the name of someone he knew since he had a no-bail warrant for failure to appear in the Alternate Release program. The officer learned a fake name was used because Ruben Ramirez, 23, of Modesto, was in possession of prescription Vicodin in another name. The officer said Ramirez tried to get rid of a bag of methamphetamine. He was booked on charges of possession of meth, possession of Vicodin without a prescription, destroying evidence, impersonating another person and for the warrant.

• WALMART TAGGERS CAUGHT: CERES - Three males were arrested for a Friday afternoon graffiti vandalism spree on the east wall of the Walmart store on Hatch Road.

Citizens called at 2:30 p.m. to report three Latino males tagging the east wall of the store in red and blue paints. All three were apprehended.

Matthew Adkins, 18, of Ceres, was arrested for felony vandalism, conspiracy to commit a crime, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Two other males, bot 17, also face vandalism charges.

Police said the tagging matched similar taggings in the area.

• BURGLARY SUSPECT CAUGHT IN THE ACT: CERES - Jason Gibson, 38, of Ceres, faces burglary, resisting arrest and parole violation charges following his being caught red-handed in someone else's house with bags of goods he was ready to steal on Friday.

Officers Steve Carvalho and Ross Bays went to a 4:27 p.m. alarm call in 3200 block of Crownview Drive. They met with the owner who unlocked the front door. Inside they found Gibson coming out of bedroom with a pillowcase filled up with items.

The owner said Gibson lived in the area and had been admonished to stop feeding the dog. Police believe he may have been trying to befriend the dog in order to freely walk into the backyard. Gibson apparently kicked out a fence board from the adjacent property and pried open the rear slider.

• CAR STOLEN FOR JOY RIDE: CERES - Two Ceres teenagers are headed to court after their weekend joy ride in a stolen car.

A citizen left for work at 7:15 a.m. on Saturday and reported to police seeing two Latino boys walking away from 1988 Honda left in the middle of the 3700 block of Helen Perry Road. Police arrived and detained the boys and learned that the Honda had been stolen at 4 a.m. on Glenda Avenue. The boys, one aged 16 and the other 15, took the car for a joy ride.

The 16-year-old has been charged with possession of stolen property, possession of burglary tools and possession of a dagger.

The 15-year-old boy was arrested for auto theft.

• THREE DUI CASES ON SAME SHIFT: CERES - Three men face charges of driving while intoxicated in separate cases on the same police shift covering Sunday and Monday.

John Atchison, 33, was arrested for drunk driving at 10:39 p.m. at Roeding and Mitchell on Sunday.

Richard White, 49, was picked up for DUI at Save Mart on Whitmore Avenue at 11:45 p.m., also on Sunday.

At 1:52 a.m. on Monday, Raymond Gutierrez, 23, was arrested for DUI at Pine and Harold streets.

• GAS THEFTS CHARGED: CERES - Three teenagers were arrested Monday as they were allegedly stealing fuel in the 3500 block of Georgeanne Place.

At 12:29 a.m. , a citizen reported seeing someone attempting to steal gas. Officer Chris Melton located a suspicious vehicle on Dormea Court with three suspects inside who possessed several gas cans and gas caps. He also located a pickup on Georgeanne which was leaking diesel. The gas tank had been punctured.

All three were booked for auto tampering, felony vandalism and conspiracy to commit a crime. They were Tristain Church, 18, of Ceres, Bobby Breen, 18, of Modesto, and a 17-year-old Ceres boy.

Damage to the truck was estimated at $1,200.

• SHOE STORE BURGLARIZED: CERES - Payless Shoes in the 1500 block of Hatch Road fell victim to a window smash burglary early Monday.

The crime took place at 5:35 a.m. A cash register drawer was taken.