Fog City News Briefs

By Ari Barak

June 25, 2007

Union City Teen Arrested In Shooting

A 17-year-old Union City boy was arrested Sunday for the fatal shooting of another teen during a fight at a party early Saturday morning, Union City police Lt. Jim Bizieff said.

Union City police on Sunday identified the victim of the shooting as 17-year-old Biniam Yifru, of Union City.

Police were called to a large party at a home at 4585 Fellows St. shortly after midnight Saturday, where they found Yifru shot in the head in the front yard. Three others at the party were injured and 17 people were briefly detained, police reported.

The murder suspect, whose name is not being released at this time because of his age, was arrested without incident at a friend's house in Hayward at about noon Sunday, Bizieff said.

Hayward police assisted Union City police and the Southern Alameda County Gang Violence Suppression Task Force in the arrest, according to Bizieff.

The suspect will be booked into the Alameda County Juvenile Hall on suspicion of murder, Bizieff said.

An investigation continues, and witnesses to the shooting are asked to contact the Union City Police Department at (510) 471-1365.

Vacaville Police Searching For Shooting Suspect

Police announced Sunday that an 18-year-old Vacaville man is now believed to be the main suspect in the fatal shooting Wednesday of 19-year-old Angelo Ray Hurst.

Joseph Stanley Duran III, who had until now been sought as a "person of interest," may still be in the Bay Area and is considered armed and dangerous, and will be arrested when he is found, Vacaville police Lt. Jan Makowski said.

Duran is believed to be driving a silver, four-door 2004 Ford Focus, with the California license plate 5JYC812.

"We know he's been in San Francisco and down on the Peninsula. He's got family out that way," Makowski said.

Police also announced they have found the minivan believed to have been used by Duran in the shooting of Hurst and Xavier Luis Montano, 18, both of Vacaville. The minivan was found in Vacaville, Makowski said.

Wednesday night, Hurst and Montano were standing in or near an older model Cadillac in the area of Village Court and Cambridge Drive, when a dark-colored minivan drove by and a suspect thought to be Duran fired multiple rounds at the car.

Hurst fled on foot, and collapsed a short distance from the scene of the shooting. He died later at Vaca Valley Hospital.

Montano was shot in the leg and survived.

Makowski cautioned that Duran may still have the weapon used in the shooting, and "We don't know his state of mind," he said.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Vacaville police Detective Steve Carey at (707) 449-5269 or the 24-hour communication center at (707) 449-5200.

Sexual Assault Gunman Still At Large

San Rafael police detectives are continuing an intensive search for a gunman believed to have sexually assaulted a woman in her home Friday night, a police spokeswoman said Sunday.

According to San Rafael police spokeswoman Margo Rohrbacher, late Friday night, a man armed with a handgun broke into a home on Elda Drive and bound two women. One of the women was sexually assaulted, Rohrbacher said.

Despite being restrained and while the suspect was still in the house, one of the women was able to call police around midnight, according to Rohrbacher.

The suspect ran out of the back of the house just as officers arrived, beginning a 10-hour manhunt by ground and air, Rohrbacher said.

Though the suspect has still not been found, investigators were able to find a trail of evidence along the path they believe the suspect fled, according to Rohrbacher. Detectives are currently following up leads and taking statements from neighbors who may have seen suspicious persons or vehicles in the area Friday night.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call San Rafael police at (415) 485-3000 or Crime Stoppers at (415) 472-2746.

Homicide Victim Identified

The Contra Costa County coroner's office has identified the victim of an apparent homicide in unincorporated Martinez Friday afternoon as Carl Flynn, 27, of Brentwood.

According to Deputy Coroner T. Biggs, Flynn was pronounced dead inside a home in the 1100 block of Plaza Drive.

Monterey Stabbing Victim In Hospital

A 24-year-old man stabbed multiple times Friday night while walking on a trail in a remote area of Monterey is being treated at a local hospital, police said Sunday.

Monterey police responded to the report of a stabbing at approximately 11:25 p.m. Friday on a recreation trail running along the waterfront on Del Monte Avenue east of Sloat Avenue, a police officer said.

Upon arrival, police learned the victim had been driven to the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula in the personal vehicle of a witness unrelated to the incident.

The suspect, 32-year-old Robert Cepeda of Marina, was found near the scene of the reported stabbing. Cepeda was allegedly in possession of a knife that fit the description of the weapon used, according to police.

Further investigation showed that Cepeda and the victim had been involved in a dispute that allegedly turned violent, police reported.

Cepeda and the victim were strangers when Cepeda allegedly told the victim he was taking up too much space while walking on the trail, according to Monterey Police Sgt. Tognetti.

Cepeda was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and was taken to the Monterey City Jail. His bail is set at $500,000, police reported.

An update on the victim's condition was not immediately available.

San Mateo County Budget Hearings Begin

Three days of public hearings will begin this morning in consideration of a $1.65 billion recommended budget for San Mateo County in the coming fiscal year.

County Manager John Maltbie released his budget recommendations on May 25, noting his concern that county expenditures are growing faster than revenues, according to County Manager's office spokesman Marshall Wilson.

However, an additional $2.9 million has been added to the recommended budget since then, the County Manager's office reported.

The revised budget also calls for an additional 85 county jobs, according to Wilson.

Hearings will take place beginning at 9 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors chamber at 400 County Center in Redwood City. Meetings continue at 9 a.m. Tuesday and 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Final budget hearings are scheduled for Sept. 25. The full budget recommendations can be found at http://www.co.sanmateo.ca.us/budget.

Car Crash Causes Power Outage In Antioch

A car crash into a traffic light in Antioch Sunday morning caused about 4,000 people to lose electrical power, Antioch police Sgt. Tammany Brooks said.

The crash occurred shortly before 7:30 a.m. on Contra Loma Boulevard at Buchanan Road.

The two drivers were heading in opposite directions on Contra Loma Boulevard when one of the drivers tried to make a left turn onto Buchanan Road and the two vehicles collided, Brooks said.

The collision caused one car to strike the traffic signal, causing the power outage, Brooks said.

City maintenance workers and Pacific Gas and Electric Co. crews were working to restore power and repair the damages. According to Brooks, most residents had their power restored Sunday afternoon.

Both of the drivers in the car suffered minor injuries, but refused medical treatment, Brooks said.

Alameda Man Dies In Boating Accident

A 76-year-old man who died following a fishing expedition accident near the Farallon Islands Saturday morning has been identified as Donald Phillips, an Alameda resident, a coroner's investigator at the Santa Clara County medical examiner's office said.

Phillips is thought to have slipped and fallen while aboard a small charter vessel off the coast of the Farallon Islands, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. He was pronounced dead after being airlifted to the Stanford University Medical Center at about 10:40 a.m.

An official cause of death has not yet been announced pending an investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard and the medical examiner's office, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Cole said.

An autopsy is scheduled for today, according to the Santa Clara County medical examiner's office.

San Jose Bicyclist Dies In Saratoga

A bicyclist who died Saturday in Saratoga after he rear-ended a parked sport utility vehicle has been identified at Neil Oda, 44, of San Jose, a Santa Clara County medical examiner's office investigator said.

Sheriff's deputies responded around 12:30 p.m. to the intersection of westbound Saratoga Avenue and Lawrence Expressway in Saratoga.

According to witnesses, the driver of a Toyota Highlander had pulled over to the shoulder of the road when Oda, who was riding westbound on Saratoga Avenue at an unknown speed, rear-ended the SUV, Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Ed Wise said.

Oda went through the rear window of the vehicle and died at the scene, Wise reported.

According to Wise, there is a designated bicycle lane in the area where the collision occurred, but it is not yet clear if Oda was in the designated lane or if the Toyota was partially in the bicycle lane or completely on the shoulder of the road.

The crash is still being investigated and an autopsy is planned for today, according to the Santa Clara County medical examiner's office.

Deceased Pedestrian Identified

A pedestrian struck and killed Saturday morning by a car on East Hamilton Avenue in Campbell has been identified as Anatolio Castillo Ramirez, 43, of San Jose, a Santa Clara County medical examiner's office investigator said.

According to Campbell police Capt. Greg Finch, the crash took place at about 6:25 a.m. on East Hamilton Avenue near North Third Street.

Finch reported that Ramirez was walking eastbound on Hamilton Avenue on the north side of the street when a 2003 Honda traveling westbound on the street left the roadway and struck a fire hydrant and a lamppost before hitting him.

The Honda, being driven by a 31-year-old woman, came to rest when the driver's side of the car collided with a tree, police said.

Police are investigating what caused the car to leave the roadway.

Ramirez was pronounced dead at the scene, police reported. The driver of the Honda was taken to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

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