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Shooting suspect loose
A recap of the most noteworthy crimes committed in the area.
Press Release Evans Road Shooting April 16 2013 1.tiff
Isaac Lanford, 33, of San Jose, is wanted for shooting a Ceres woman in the leg on April 16.

A woman was shot in the leg at her Evans Road apartment complex Tuesday afternoon, April 16 but the man believed to be the shooter is still at large.

The 33-year-old victim is recovering from her wound sustained in the 3:53 p.m. incident in the 1600 block of Evans Road. Police said that Isaac Lanford, 33, of San Jose fired three rounds at the woman who was in an enclosed yard of the apartment complex.

She was transported by ambulance to a local hospital where she was treated.

Lanford and an unknown white female adult with curly blonde hair fled the area in a maroon Acura Integra. Minutes after the shooting, Ceres police officers located the Acura several blocks away from as investigators received tips that the responsible may have fled into an apartment in the 1900 block of Evans Road near where the vehicle was found. Officers surrounded the apartment and made announcements for the occupants to exit the front door. However, they did not receive a response.

The Ceres SWAT Team entered the house at 6:30 p.m. to find that it was unoccupied.

Detectives are working to establish what motivated the attack on the woman. A home invasion robbery occurred in the apartment complex three days earlier, but investigators do not believe it was linked to the shooting.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of the suspect, identity of the unidentified white female accomplice, or any other information regarding this case is encouraged to call Detective Derek Perry (209) 538-5730. Tips may also be reported anonymously to the Stanislaus Area Crime Stoppers at 1-866-60-CRIME or text tips to "274637" with TIP704 in the wording.

Other crimes in the area include the following:

• DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ARREST MADE: CERES - Leonard Elphick, 24, of Ceres, was arrested Tuesday morning, April 16, on domestic violence charges after he allegedly held his pregnant girlfriend and slapped her in the face.

Police responded to a 10:34 a.m. call for domestic squabbling in the 2400 block of Thomas Avenue. As officers came up to the house they heard yelling and screaming inside. They forced their way in and learned Elphick and the woman were arguing about his use of controlled substances.

The woman, who is six months pregnant, said she was held against her will and was eventually slapped by the suspect.

• TEENS FOUND IN STOLEN CAR: CERES - Three Modesto teenagers were booked into Stanislaus County Juvenile Hall early Friday after Ceres Police arrested they were involved in a police chase of a stolen vehicle they were riding in.

Officers Greg Yotsuya and Pat Dayton had just cleared a call at Georgeanne and San Pedro at 243 a.m. they spotted a 1991 Honda Civic being driving slowly without headlights. When the officers tried to pull over the Honda, the driver led them on a pursuit that went up Morgan Road before ending on Rockefeller Drive. During the chase the driver of the stolen Honda had reached speeds of up to 70 mph and blew stop signs and the red light at Morgan and Whitmore. During the felony traffic stop, three juvenile aged 15 and 16, were taken out at gunpoint.

All three were booked on charges of auto theft and possession of stolen property. The 15-year-old driver was also charged with evading police, and being an unlicensed driver.

During his arrest a 16-year-old suspect laughed at officers and said, "Are we done now officer?"

The car had been stolen from Bystrum Road.

• TURLOCK MEN ARRESTED PASSING BAD CHECKS: CERES - Two Turlock men were arrested for allegedly passing fraudulent checks at a Ceres grocery store on Friday.

A clerk at the Pine Street Market called police at 12:30 a.m. after a man attempted to cash a check that appeared to be suspicious.

Donald Rush, 45, of Turlock, was apprehended by detective Darren Venn after he left the store and found in possession of fraudulent documents, forgery, burglary and conspiracy to commit a crime.

His accomplice, Joga Shergill, 50, of Turlock, was found in a nearby vehicle where police found numerous fake identifications, numerous bank cards and Social Security numbers belonging to others. Shergill also was in possession of a falsified driver's license for himself. He was booked on charges of possession of stolen property, forgery, possession of fraudulent documents, and conspiracy to commit a crime.

The suspects were in possession of checks stolen from more than one local trucking company. They had previously passed a bad check at the store.

• WALMART ROBBER APPREHENDED: CERES - A Sacramento man was arrested Saturday morning after he was caught trying to steal a 50-inch flat screen TV at the Ceres Walmart and threatening to shoot the store's loss prevention agent who was stopping him.

The store officer tried to detain David Carrillo, 27, during the 10 a.m. attempted theft but the suspect indicated he had a weapon and would shoot. The officer saw a red holster type device on his waistband with something protruding. It later turned out to be a cell phone holder and a box cutter.

Carrillo ran from the store but was located by Officer Lorenzo Beltran in the Food 4 Less parking lot. He was arrested on charges of robbery and resisting arrest. He denied threatening anyone.

• MAN FLUSHES DRUGS AT STARBUCKS: CERES - A Modesto man was arrested at Starbucks at Mitchell and Hatch roads Saturday afternoon for allegedly possessing drugs and trying to flush some of them down the toilet.

Employees called police at 2 p.m. about several persons in the parking lot making customers nervous and one using the bathroom for long periods of time.

Police arrived and said they could hear Justin McLloyd, 39, of Modesto, flushing the toilet numerous times. They say he was trying to dispose of controlled substances.

McLloyd had a warrant for his arrest issued by Modesto police for narcotic sales. Police searched his rental car and found more drugs. They arrested him on charges of possession of controlled substances, possession of controlled substances for sale and transportation of drugs.

His two companions, both transients, were released.

• MAN BREAKS OWN METH PIPE: CERES - Jeff Newkirk, 44, of Ceres, was arrested Sunday morning after he allegedly was caught dumpster diving and then breaking a meth pipe to conceal his illegal possession.

At 12:58 a.m. Officer Jose Amador spotted Newkirk in the dumpster by Liquor King on Mitchell and Fowler roads. He was showing signs of being under the influence. The officer heard Newkirk's foot crush the glass pipe, netting him a destruction of evidence charge.As Newkirk was being walked to the patrol car, he allegedly head butted Officer Pat Dayton who arrived to assist. The action resulted in Newkirk getting a resisting arrest charge.

• CAR THEFT SUSPECT IDENTIFIED: CERES - Police have released the name of the man who allegedly stole a pickup, crashed it and then carjacked another individual's car on April 16.

Jesus Vega, 25, of Modesto, faces charges of kidnapping, carjacking, auto theft, possession of stolen property and probation violation.

The drama unfolded at approximately 647 a.m. on Tuesday, April 16 when a resident in the 800 block of Central Avenue saw his pickup being driven off by a theft suspect. The 40-year-old owner jumped in the bed of the truck as the suspect sped away. The thief then lost control and struck a tree about two houses away, causing the owner of the pickup to receive head injuries. The man was taken to a Modesto hospital by ambulance.

The suspect then bolted from the crash scene and managed to jump into a white 1997 Ford Mustang being driven by a 20-year-old Ceres man. The driver of the Mustang said the man reached into his waistband as if he had a gun.

Sgt. Trenton Johnson spotted the Mustang going down southbound Central Avenue and stopped the car at Central Avenue and Ocean Way. He arrested the passenger at gunpoint before he had a chance to flee, said Lt. Brent Smith.