Fog City News in Brief

By Lara Moscrip

May 21, 2007

Efforts continue to return humpbacks back to open water

Authorities will resume efforts to guide a female humpback whale and her calf toward the ocean at 7:30 a.m. today, and to meet that target a helicopter will be launched at dawn to spot the pair of whales, according to U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Brian Leshak.

As of Sunday night at 9:30 p.m., the whales had traveled at a steady pace away from the Port of Sacramento, ending up about 20 miles downstream. The whales were reported as being about 10 miles up from Rio Vista, Leshak said.

According to Leshak, the plan is to guide the whales toward the San Francisco Bay using the most efficient route. To that end, boats from the Coast Guard and the California Department of Fish and Game will trail the whales as they make their way downstream. .

The boats stopped following the whales Sunday night when it became too dark to see them when they surfaced, Leshak said.

A news conference is scheduled at 10 a.m. today at the Port of Sacramento on the status of the whales. Members of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Coast Guard and the Department of Fish and Game are expected to present information.

Concord murder suspect fatally shot by Federal marshals

A suspect in a Friday homicide in Concord was fatally shot by two federal marshals Saturday night in La Mirada, a city southeast of downtown Los Angeles just off of Interstate Highway 5, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reported on Sunday.

According to the sheriff's department, members of the U.S. Marshals Service's Los Angeles Regional Fugitive Task Force received information that a man wanted in connection with the murder of a Concord woman on Friday would be at a restaurant in the 14300 block of Firestone Boulevard in La Mirada.

The marshals went to the restaurant shortly after 10 p.m., contacted the man and identified themselves as federal agents, at which point the man reportedly pointed a .45-caliber revolver at the marshals and fired, according to the sheriff's department.

The marshals returned fire, striking the man several times in the upper torso, the sheriff's department reported.

Paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene. The Los Angeles County Coroner was not releasing the man's name Sunday morning pending notification of his family.

The marshals were not injured during the shooting and the man's gun was recovered at the scene, the sheriff's department reported.

On Friday, Concord police reported that they were looking for 34-year-old Concord resident Nathan Ellry Noel in connection with the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, 37-year-old Lea Aikens.

A Concord police dispatcher would not confirm Sunday that Noel was the man shot last night in La Mirada. Concord police investigators were not immediately available for comment.

On Friday, Concord police found Aikens suffering from an apparent gunshot wound at an apartment complex in the 1000 block of Mohr Lane in Concord. She succumbed to her injuries at the scene, police reported.

Police later found a 2004 Infiniti G-35 they believed Noel had used to leave the scene of the shooting and released a description of a second vehicle, a silver 2003 Cadillac CTS, they believed Noel had switched to.

Noel was described as armed, dangerous and possibly suicidal, according to Concord police.

Richmond man shot by San Pablo police officer

A 20-year-old Richmond man was shot by a San Pablo police officer after fleeing from a traffic stop Saturday night, according to San Pablo police Sgt. D. Botta.

David Robinson fled on foot from a vehicle stopped by police at about 10:30 p.m. on 13th Street near Hellings Avenue, Botta said.

Robinson dropped a loaded pistol during the chase and did not obey an officer's commands to stop, according to Botta.

"When it appeared [Robinson] was reaching for another weapon, he was shot by an officer," Botta said.

Robinson was treated for a non-life-threatening injury at an area hospital and booked into the county jail in Martinez, according to Botta.

The officer who shot Robinson has been placed on a standard administrative leave, Botta said.

Police did not describe the nature of the traffic stop. The incident is being investigated by the Contra Costa County district attorney's office and the Richmond and San Pablo police departments.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the San Pablo Police Department's detective division at (510) 215-3150.

Antioch teen found shot to death

An Antioch teen was found shot to death early Sunday morning outside his home, Antioch police reported.

Officers responding to a reported shooting at about 12:45 a.m. in the 4500 block of Belle Drive found Vicente Soto Posos, 18, on the ground near his vehicle, bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds, according to Antioch police Sgt. Don La Due.

The vehicle was parked near Posos' home, La Due said.

Posos was taken to Sutter Delta Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, according to La Due.

Initial reports that Posos had been involved in a fight with someone earlier in the day do not appear to be correct, La Due said.

San Jose rocked by 3.4 magnitude temblor

A magnitude 3.4 earthquake was reported Sunday afternoon, according to preliminary results from the U.S. Geological Survey Web site. The quake struck around 4:10 p.m. and it was centered about nine miles from San Jose.

Police kill suspect who allegedly shot an Oakland officer

The Alameda County coroner's bureau confirmed Sunday that a man believed to have shot and injured an Oakland police officer early Saturday morning was fatally shot during a later search.

Police were not releasing the man's name on Sunday, but said earlier that he was believed to be one of two suspects who shot an Oakland police officer several times early Saturday morning, police reported.

The officer was shot at about 12:20 a.m. Saturday after attempting to detain a suspect during a traffic stop at the corner of Parker Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard, police spokesman Roland Holmgren said. The traffic stop was reportedly associated with an illegal rally known as a "sideshow'' that had been taking place in the area.

The suspects then ran from the scene of the shooting, police said.

The officer was transported to a local hospital and was listed in good condition, Holmgren said.

After an extensive search, police found one of the suspects in the 2600 block of Parker Avenue and shot him, Holmgren said Saturday.

Police continued to search for the second suspect, according to Holmgren.

Rescuers save driver of overturned vehicle submerged in levee

One person was rescued early Sunday morning after their vehicle overturned and became submerged in a levee near Box R Ranch Road and Hay Road in Vacaville, according to a California Highway Patrol dispatcher.

The dispatcher said at around 1:58 a.m., CHP received report of the single vehicle accident.

The person was extracted from the vehicle, which was submerged in five feet of water, but did not suffer any visible injuries, according to the dispatcher.

Lake Berryessa wildfire 50 percent contained

Firefighters had a wildfire near Lake Berryessa in Napa County 50 percent contained on Sunday morning, Cal Fire Capt. Justin Benguerel said.

The "Braye Fire" began Friday night at about 9:30 p.m. in a remote area near state Highway 128 east of the Monticello Dam, above the Canyon Creek campground, according to Benguerel.

The wildfire has since burned about 450 acres of brush, oak and grass in steep terrain, Benguerel said. The fire is expected to be fully contained by 8 a.m. today, he added.

All roads in the area have been reopened, including state Highway 128, which had been closed for about a day, according to Benguerel.

About 150 firefighters from Cal Fire's Sonoma, Lake, Napa unit are being assisted by firefighters from Cal Fire's Santa Clara unit in fighting the blaze.

One home has been threatened by the fire and one minor injury to a firefighter was reported, Benguerel said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Sleep apnea technician arrested following complaints of sexual battery

A sleep apnea technician at the Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital was arrested Thursday, after several patients accused him of months of sexual battery, according to Salinas police.

Lacanlale Amorsolo Jr., 32, was arrested for two counts of sexual battery and one count of sexual battery/masturbation in a hospital for crimes he allegedly committed against three patients between September 2006 and February 2007.

According to police, Amorsolo was arrested without incident at his home in Salinas and booked into the Monterey County Jail.

Any other victims or persons with pertinent information are asked to contact detective Steve Sparks at (831) 758-7913.

PG&E reminds residents to "know what is below" before digging into the ground

With the official launch of a new phone number, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. would like to remind residents to "know what is below" and call 811 before digging into the ground.

"Whether it is planting a tree, installing a sprinkler system or fixing a fence, PG&E urges customers to be mindful of underground wires cables and pipelines," Bob Howard, vice president of gas transmission and distribution for the utility said in a statement.

According to PG&E, California law requires diggers to notify utilities at least two working days before scheduled digging. Calls can be made to 811 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday to help facilitate this process. Digging reports can be made up to 14 days in advance.

Hitting a gas line has the potential to cause a power outage or explosion, which could result in serious injuries or property damage.

Hammering into an electric line could cause burns or electrocution, according to PG&E.

Howard said anyone planning a dig should call 811 free of charge to obtain important information about which utilities exist beneath the ground.

"Calling 811 before you dig is cheap insurance to prevent damage to underground lines and to prevent injuries," Don Heyer, spokesman for Underground Service Alert North, said in a statement.

If damage to a utility line does occur, diggers should move to a safe location and call 911 before reporting the damage to PG&E at (800) 743-5000.

Copyright © 2007 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

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