Serena C.J. Rodriguez, 24, of Auburn was driving a vehicle that hit Officer Matthew Bowen about 10:30 a.m. as he was conducting a traffic stop at the intersection of Leisure Town Road and Orange Drive, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Bowen, a motorcycle officer, was struck from behind by a car, the CHP said. Medical aid was provided at the scene and Bowen was taken to a hospital, but he died from his injuries.
Rodriguez tried to flee on foot after the collision but she was detained by bystanders, the CHP said.
The suspect was booked into Solano County Jail on suspicion of homicide and driving under the influence causing injury and/or death.
Bowen had been with the department since June 2023 after coming to Vacaville from the Concord Police Department.
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A 25-year-old man who has worked as a swim instructor in the Bay Area was arrested by Berkeley police on Thursday in connection with sexual assaults involving children.
Police said they began investigating Tyler Livingston last week after several parents reported concerns about their children's interactions with the suspect.
On Thursday, detectives served warrants at an Emeryville address associated with Livingston and he was taken into custody without incident.
Police did not release information about how many cases were being investigated, or over what span of time the suspected assaults took place. They said there may be other victims.
The Berkeley Police Department Youth Services Unit can be reached at (510) 981-5715. The department has resources available to provide emotional support or to connect victims with counselors specializing in traumatic experiences.
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The California Public Utilities Commission opened the door on Thursday to potential PG&E rate increases as soon as next year, adopting a new rate making process that will let the utility recoup its costs for completing energization projects.
Energization projects help connect new customers to the electricity grid, increase capacity for existing customers, and increase transmission capacity to deliver greater loads in the future as the state moves to stop selling gas-powered vehicles by 2035 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2045.
Prior to the CPUC meeting was a protest outside its San Francisco headquarters organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation. The group rallied against rate hikes and public safety shutoffs, which the company said it performed during the recent heat wave out of caution against wildfires.
The activists also called for the abolishment of PG&E entirely and replacing it with a nonprofit publicly controlled utility created by the Legislature in 2020.
The Golden State Energy Act, Senate Bill 350, created a nonprofit public benefit corporation to serve as a receiver for all of PG&E's assets. PG&E had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in early 2019 after fires caused by its power lines burned hundreds of thousands of acres in Northern California and led to more than 100 deaths.
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An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 3.1 rattled an area southwest of Brentwood in Contra Costa County on Thursday night, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The quake was reported about 9:29 p.m. near the Round Valley Regional Preserve off Marsh Creek Road.
The quake struck along the Greenville Fault Zone, about 11 miles deep, the USGS said.
No damage has been reported.
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Police are investigating after a 34-year-old man was fatally shot at an Antioch apartment complex on Thursday night.
The shooting was reported about 7:29 p.m. at 600 Wilbur Ave., where officers found the victim with a fatal gunshot wound in the street near the center of an apartment complex, Antioch police said.
The man's name was not released and no other information about the shooting was provided by police.
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Police are investigating after a motorcyclist died in a collision Thursday afternoon in South San Jose.
The crash between a motorcycle and a vehicle was reported about 4 p.m. in the area of Winfield Boulevard and Furlong Drive, police said on social media.
The motorcyclist died at the scene, according to police. No other information was provided about the collision.
Traffic will affected for several hours on Winfield Boulevard between Blossom Hill Road and Coleman Road, police said. Motorists are asked to avoid the area.
The death is the city's 24th fatal collision this year.
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Fourteen people were displaced after a fire gutted two mobile homes on Thursday afternoon in South San Jose, fire officials said.
The fire was reported at 3:24 p.m. at the Caribbees Mobile Home Park on Lewis Road. About 25 firefighters responded, bringing the blaze under control at 4:18 p.m., according to San Jose Fire Department spokesperson Jake Pisani.
One person, who didn't live in the mobile homes that burned, was hospitalized with minor injuries.
The fire left the two mobile homes uninhabitable, displacing four people from one home and 10 from the other. The Red Cross was on hand to help the displaced residents.
The cause is under investigation.
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A 28-year-old Stockton resident was sentenced Thursday to 14 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, according to U.S. Attorney Phillip Talbert.
Jesus Iribe, who received his sentencing from U.S. District Judge Daniel Calabretta, had been stopped by Stockton Police Department officers on Feb. 17, 2022.
Prosecutors said Iribe had a loaded Glock pistol in his pocket and a kilogram of cocaine in his pickup truck.
A search warrant that had been served at a later time at Iribe's home had resulted in 10 pounds of methamphetamine, 5 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of marijuana, counterfeit M-30 oxycodone pills, and five more firearms found, prosecutors said.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California said in a statement that the case was a product of an investigation by the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office, Stockton Police Department, San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office, and the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office.
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Pleasanton police arrested a man they say put on a mask and walked into a business Tuesday night carrying an airsoft rifle and demanding money from the cash register.
Police received reports at approximately 9:30 p.m. about the suspect wearing a black ski mask and clothing entering a business in the 3000 block of Bernal Avenue and demanding money from the cash register.
After dumping the cash into a duffel bag, he fled.
Arriving officers found store employees locked in a back office. Police tracked down the suspect along Stoneridge Mall Road and, following a brief foot pursuit, detained him.
They recovered the duffel bag nearby, containing the airsoft rifle, black ski mask, and the till, which had approximately $230.
Officers discovered the suspect, 43-year-old Mario Robinson from Richmond, was on active parole. He was subsequently booked into Santa Rita Jail on suspicion of robbery and parole violation.
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The city of Martinez has been notified by Suntex Marinas -- the company that recently acquired the city's longtime marina operator, Almar Marina Management -- that Suntex will exercise its option to terminate its marina management contract with the city, effective Aug. 21.
The city said Suntex primarily owns the marinas it operates, which differs from the city's publicly owned marina. The city said in a statement Thursday that the move will have several significant impacts related to marina operations and city staff are working on short-term and permanent solutions. No possible impacts or solutions were outlined in the city's statement.
The city said it's focused on a smooth marina management transition and long-term planning to improve the waterfront's economic viability and prominence.
"The city is taking immediate steps to ensure marina operations continue seamlessly, so that those who enjoy our waterfront, in particular those who moor their boat in the marina, can continue to do so," said Martinez Mayor Brianne Zorn. "We are keeping the public, including boat owners, informed throughout the process."
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The California Department of Food and Agriculture on Thursday declared an end to an Oriental fruit fly quarantine in Contra Costa County following the eradication of the invasive pest.
The declaration comes nearly 10 months after state officials first detected populations of the Oriental fruit fly in the area and established a quarantine encompassing parts of the cities of Brentwood and Oakley and parts of Antioch, Bethel Island and Discovery Bay.
"We're pleased to report this is the third Oriental fruit fly quarantine lifted in California this year," said Victoria Hornbaker, director of CDFA's Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services Division. "These recent successes prove that through the cooperation of residents across the state and our partners, eradication of invasive species is possible."
During the quarantine, crops that are hosts for the Oriental fruit fly -- which include more than 300 varieties, such as citrus and other fruits, nuts, vegetables and berries -- weren't allowed to be moved from the properties where they were grown. Commercial crops were required to meet stringent treatment or processing standards before being harvested or moved.
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HomeFirst CEO Andrea Urton is stepping down, leaving questions about the future of one of Santa Clara County's largest homeless support service providers.
The group's board of directors said today Urton's departure is effective immediately. She led the nonprofit through expansions and setbacks during her nine-year tenure. In recent years, HomeFirst has come under intense scrutiny by homeless advocates and government officials about its services' success rates, as well as allegations of racism and a toxic work environment. A state audit in April also drew more attention to San Jose's lack of accountability and spending on homeless services, including some provided by HomeFirst.
"I am deeply grateful for the dedication of our staff, the trust of our clients, and incredible community of people and organizations working together to address our local homeless crisis," Urton said in a statement. "Together, we have significantly advanced our mission and compassionately served those in need."
Before stepping down, Urton had been on leave for three months, with Chief Operating Officer Rene Ramirez serving as interim CEO. He will continue in that role and said the nonprofit's board of directors hopes to find a permanent CEO in about three months.
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The National Weather Service forecast for the greater San Francisco Bay Area for Friday calls for hot temps, especially in inland areas, with mostly clear and sunny skies.
Daytime highs will be mostly in the 60s to 70s on the coast, 70s to 90s around the bay, and in the upper 90s to 100s inland. Overnight lows will be mostly in the upper 50s to 60s, with interior areas reaching the 70s.
Forecasters expect Friday to be the last day heat peaks with gradual cooling into the weekend.
Heat Advisory is still in effect for the Marin and Sonoma coastal ranges, the North Bay Interior Valleys, Santa Cruz Mountains, Southern Salinas Valley, and Northern Salinas Valley until 8 p.m.
Excessive Heat Warning still also prevails over the North Bay Interior Mountains, East Bay Interior Valleys, Santa Clara Valley including San Jose, Eastern Santa Clara Hills, and East Bay Hills until that time.
According to the NWS, near normal temps will begin early next week.
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