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CRIME DIGEST
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• CAR STRIKES PEDESTRIAN: CERES - A 15-year-old Ceres girl was struck by a car near Argus High School Monday, Sept. 12 with the blame falling on a driver who said she couldn't see for sun glare. Carrie Wycoff, 37, of Ceres, was eastbound on Lawrence Street at 7:20 a.m. in her 1996 Oldsmobile. Wycoff stopped for the four-way stop at Ninth Street and continued on where she struck the girl who was crossing the street. The victim went over the top of the vehicle and landed with scrapes, bruises and concussions. She was transported to Memorial Medical Center with minor injuries.

Wycoff was cited for failure to yield right of way to a pedestrian.

• WOMAN ARRESTED AFTER CRASHING INTO CARS: CERES - A 43-year-old Ceres woman was arrested Saturday evening after she allegedly plowed into several parked cars in the Walmart parking lot at Hatch and Mitchell roads.

Police said Christine Goodson didn't stop and proceeded to the nearby McDonald's drive-thru lane where she fell asleep behind the wheel. Police said Goodson showed signs of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

At the time of the 6:40 p.m. incident, Goodson had a small child inside her vehicle.

Her charges include DUI and child endangerment.

• GUN RESULTS IN DEPORTATION: CERES - Miguel Pelayo, 52, of Ceres, is being deported to Mexico after his Thursday evening arrest for having a loaded revolver inside his car.

Police received a call at 9:27 p.m. about a man inside a pickup parked in the 2000 block of Evans Road possibly armed with a handgun. Police found Pelayo passed out inside the vehicle and in possession of a loaded handgun.

Pelayo was booked on charges of possession of a concealed loaded firearm. The suspect was remanded to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement because he was in the United States illegally.

• CAR STOP LEADS TO MAJOR POT GROW: CERES - A major marijuana growing operation was discovered by Ceres police after its alleged grower was stopped for a traffic violation on Wednesday, Sept. 14.

Officer Steve Carvalho stopped a pickup in 1800 block of Whitmore Avenue at 8:01 p.m. Driver Kenny Austin, 19, of Modesto, was in possession of a Smith & Wesson 9 mm handgun which had been reported stolen in Ripon. Austin was then linked to a rented house in the 900 block of Moonlight Drive where the marijuana growing operation was discovered through a search warrant.

Lt. Brent Smith said that significant modifications had been made to the house to supply power for indoor lighting and that evidence suggests Austin was stealing electricity by rerouting past an electric meter. A total of 168 marijuana plants were seized.

Austin was charged with illegal cultivation of marijuana, possession of a concealed weapon, and possession of stolen property.

• DRIVE-BY SHOOTING: CERES - Police have no information on the suspect who fired a .22 caliber at a home and car in the 700 block of Cadillac Drive on Monday, Sept. 12.

Several rounds hit the house, shattering a bedroom window, and a car parked in front.

The shooting occurred at approximately 12:30 a.m.

• TWO CHARGED IN RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY: CERES - Two Ceres teenagers were arrested and booked for allegedly breaking into a house and stealing items after an alert neighbor called police.

The break-in occurred at 10:44 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 13 in the 1500 block of Zena Way.

A neighbor called 911 to report the break-in and took down the license plate of the car in which the two male suspects left the scene. Officers arrived and found the garage side door was kicked in and the house had been ransacked.

Officer Brian Peterson traced the license plate to the 1200 block of Partee Lane and to the 3000 block of Moore Road. Adam Gusman, 18, and Michael Valenzuela, 19, both of Ceres, were identified by the witness. All of the stolen items taken from the victim were recovered, including a 42-inch and 50-inch flat screen TV.

Both Gusman and Valenzuela were booked for residential burglary. During the investigation, Dydranda Rivas, 22, of Ceres, was found with stolen jewelry and booked for possession of stolen property.

• MAN SEVERELY BEATEN: CERES - Police investigators hope the public can supply clues leading to the arrest of persons who severely beat a pedestrian on Friday morning.

The 20-year-old victim suffered a fractured skull, broken nose, facial injuries and swollen eyes in the 9:33 a.m. attack.

The victim was found unconscious in the 2000 block of Hackett Road. He said he was walking to his grandmother's home on Spruce Avenue when he was attacked. He said he didn't remember the attack.

The victim was taken to a Modesto hospital for treatment of injuries and sent home to recover the same day.

Anyone who may have witnessed the attack or have information on any suspects is asked to call detectives at 538-5727.

• DUI ARREST: CERES - John McLendon, 43, of Ceres, faces charges of drunk driving after he was pulled over Sunday following a tip from an off duty Ceres officer.

McLendon was stopped driving a blue VW beetle at Rose and Fowler.