Crime and Public Safety
Salinas Police warn about online marketplace crimes after Sunday robbery
While Sergeant Zachary Dunagan said it would be unrealistic to say that no one should...
Reliving a ‘horrific nightmare’: Sierra LaMar retrial could look very different
After an appellate court overturned the murder conviction in Sierra LaMar’s 2012 disappearance, prosecutors are...
As a boy, he killed for the Norteño gang. Now in his 20s, he’ll serve 19 years for it
He participated in two gang-related homicides, shooting one victim in the head, when he was...
Salinas gang member sentenced 72 years to life for murder
Julius Santa Cruz, 25 from Salinas, was sentenced to 72 years to life in prison...
Marina man found guilty for carry concealed dagger
Juan Amado Delgado, 36 from Marina, will be sentenced on March 25.
Pacific Grove police arrest youth suspected of stealing whiskey
Pacific Grove Police prevented a burglary from being completed late Wednesday night. Multiple arrests were...
Tourist struck by Point Lobos park volunteer’s vehicle is awarded $18.8 million
The woman's injuries included 20 broken ribs and a traumatic brain injury that will permanently...
Local law enforcement rescues man threatening to jump from bridge
A press release from the Monterey County Sheriff's Office said the officers received a call...
Man arrested in Salinas for threatening someone with gun
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office arrested Santiago Martinez-Amaro, 28, for attempted murder, criminal threats and...
Salinas Police invite public for annual report on military equipment
The meeting, which will be held at the Salinas Rotunda from 6 to 6:30 p.m.,...
Scotts Valley man arrested for involuntary manslaughter, elder abuse
Monterey Police Officers responded to a report of a narcotics overdose on Tuesday at 1:49...
Woman convicted of abandoning baby 30 years ago, sentenced to 13 years
On Wednesday, Pamela Ferreyra, 61, was sentenced to 13 years and four months for one...
Gonzales man suspected of killing his wife then reporting emergency
Pablo Villasenor, 66, told emergency dispatchers that his wife was bleeding and that he did...
Trump pardons 5 former NFL players for crimes ranging from perjury to drug trafficking
The pardons were announced by White House pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson. Ex-NFL players Joe...
Two convicted in Fort Ord National Monument vandalism case
In March 2025, the Bureau of Land Management Central Coast Field Office received a report...
One dead after vehicle drives off Big Sur cliff
At about 4:22 p.m. on Monday, emergency dispatchers received multiple 911 calls reporting a vehicle...
Two rescued from ocean near Marina
At about 4:30 p.m. on Sunday during the Super Bowl game, the Marina Police Department...
49ers' Keion White shot after argument with rapper Lil Baby: report
San Francisco 49er Keion White was shot following an argument with rapper Lil Baby at...
Pesticide regulators sued for “confusing, contradictory rules”
It's the fourth time since 2017 that advocates and DPR have gone to court over...
49ers' Keion White shot in early morning hours in San Francisco
A San Francisco 49ers defensive end, Keion White, was shot in the ankle early Monday...
Pacific Grove Council discusses regulation options for e-bikes
During the council meeting Wednesday, the council discussed existing city code and how it applies...
County prioritizes enforcement of unpermitted food vendors
The Environmental Health Bureau reports a recent increase in “pop-up” taco vendors, which they believe...
Human remains found around Cachagua Road
Deputies were dispatched to a rural part of Cachagua Road around 6:45 p.m. on Jan....
Salinas City Council votes to shorten notice for encampment sweeps
With a 6-1 vote in favor of the ordinances and summit recommendation – only Councilman...
Stabbing of former Oakland Raiders player in L.A. may be linked to 3 other homeless encampment slayings
Johnson, a California native, who played for both the Philadelphia Eagles and Oakland Raiders in...
Former Pacific Grove basketball coach arrested for sexual misconduct with minor
According to the Pacific Grove Police Department, the victim reported being groomed by Marquis Pickrom...
Bay Area man accused of flying drone over 49ers game
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the charges ahead of Super Bowl LX, where the FAA,...
Salinas Police reports on use of military equipment
The Salinas Police Department released its 2025 Annual Report on Military Equipment Use by Law...
Salinas man throws dog at cops as he runs away
During the pursuit, he threw the dog at a deputy and continued to resist arrest.
North Salinas road improvements to make for safer routes to school
In 2021 the Citywide Safe Routes to Schools survey indicated that the top barriers to...
‘I’m glad everything’s worked out’: SF Giants’ Lee talks brief detainment at LAX
Lee was detained on Wednesday evening at Los Angeles International Airport but released that same...
‘Some of you will be injured or killed’: San Benito sheriff scolds bystanders filming crime scenes in wake of deadly San Jose police shootout
In a social-media post, Eric Taylor warned that 'bullets can be very unforgiving' to people...
Former Oakland Raiders Kevin Johnson’s death being investigated as homicide
Johnson, 55, was found dead near a homeless encampment on Tuesday in Los Angeles.
DA releases preliminary report on Marina shooting following interviews with officers
The revolver recovered from Tinsley was loaded, operational and unregistered.
Salinas man convicted of murder, attempted murder from two separate incidents
The charges were filed as part of Operation Redrum, a five-year state and federal investigation...
SF Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee briefly detained at LAX
Lee was returning from his native South Korea, where a Giants contingent joined him earlier...
From death trap to lifeline: Coyote Valley’s plan for wildlife crossings
VTA and conservation groups are taking first steps to add wildlife crossings south of San...
Marina celebration canceled after fatal shooting
"The driver was injured and subsequently pronounced deceased at the scene,
NTSB investigation: PG&E says crews attempted to alert residents before Hayward gas explosion
The preliminary report also found that a PG&E worker turned away firefighters responding to the...
Monterey County tightens security at Government Center
The county said security staff would be screening members of the public with bag checks...
Feds secure new racketeering indictment, link more murders to Monterey County gang
Nine reputed members of Salinas Acosta Plaza have been tied to 11 murder and 14...
Swimmer who vanished at Lovers Point was wearing a shark deterrent. What science says about what they do — and don’t do
Studies question whether wearable shark deterrents effectively reduce risk.
Monterey man sentenced to 12 years for first-degree burglary
Angel Sylvestre Martinez, 34 from Monterey, was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Tuesday,...
Lovers Point shark attack victim identified by watch, ‘shark band’ on ankle
The tragedy has forced yet another reckoning for the Kelp Krawlers, many of whom made...
Search suspended for missing swimmer off Lovers Point in Pacific Grove
The search for a reported missing swimmer off Lovers Point in Pacific Grove, identified as...
Search for missing Pacific Grove swimmer after possible shark sighting
According to the Pacific Grove Police Department, officers were called at 12:04 p.m. on Sunday...
San Jose man sentenced to 10 years for two electric transformer bombings
He had previously pleaded guilty to the bombings, which he carried out in December 2022...
Body found in Salinas Riverbed identified
The body of a woman found in the Salinas Riverbed on Sunday has been identified...
Deputy involved shooting under investigation
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office reported that deputies were responding to a report of a...
Nonprofit seeks to facilitate cold case investigations
“The partnership with the Cold Case Project Monterey County has allowed us to do something...
Cannabis greenhouse burglary leads to nine arrests outside Salinas
At around 3:40 a.m. on Monday, Monterey County Sheriff’s Deputies received a report of that...
Marijuana Enforcement Team patrols from the sky
In 2025, the County of Monterey Marijuana Enforcement Team conducted four flights over rural areas...
Plans for huge new oceanfront battery storage plant are withdrawn following disastrous Moss Landing fire
January fire cost Texas company $400 million and stiffened opposition to the projects, which are...
5.9 earthquake alert Thursday morning was a false alarm, USGS says
ShakeAlert early warning system lit up more than 600,000 phones up across Northern California at...
Cal Fire drones take flight in emergency prevention and response
Cal Fire San Benito-Monterey has the largest unmanned aircraft systems program of its kind in...
Study: Moss Landing battery fire dumped 55,000 pounds of toxic metals into wildlife-rich marshes
San Jose State University research sheds new light on impacts from disastrous January fire
OPD bars public access to video showing how former Raider Doug Martin died
The refusal to release the footage drew a rebuke from First Amendment and police accountability...
DA completes investigation into petition signatures
The inquiry came after allegations that the community organization, Protect Salinas Renters, was offering free...
Three injured in Black Friday shooting at San Jose’s Valley Fair mall
The attacker left the scene after the shooting, which apparently resulted from a dispute with...
Local emergency response agencies adopt new app
Tablet Command's adoption in Monterey County is now widespread, with it being used by Monterey...
One hospitalized after co-workers argue about Raiders and 49ers
The two co-workers were arguing about football, then one of them woke up in the...
Salinas City Council approves $620,000 to fight human trafficking
In addition, nine surveillance cameras are set to be installed around the neighborhood, allowing the...
King City party shooting case moves forward
Judge Rafael Vazquez issued a holding order after a weeklong preliminary hearing in the week...
Man arrested for making threats toward Monterey Half Marathon
Monterey police said 53-year-old Sean Klinger called 9-1-1 just after 7 a.m. on Sunday, and...
Salinas ag. company to pay $125,194 for pesticide exposures
The incident occurred on Oct. 9, 2023 when a Growers supervisor ordered a crew of...
UPDATE: Shelter in place lifted at CSUMB
According to a press release from the Marina police, officers responded to reports of possible...
Ready for anything with Pajaro Emergency Preparedness Fair
Saturday's Pajaro Emergency Preparedness Fair aims to bring together community members and local agencies in...
BALCO architect Victor Conte loses battle with cancer at age of 75
Victor Conte was at the heart of the biggest sports scandal in U.S. history in...
It rained a lot in October. Is fire season over now?
Most of the state received more than average precipitation in October -- twice normal in...
Man who drove off Santa Cruz Wharf was registered sex offender who’d been out of prison 10 years
According to the State of California Megan's Law website, a database of registered sex offenders,...
Moratorium on building new battery storage projects advances
Monterey County considers rules, along with Santa Cruz, Orange and Solano counties
Scotts Valley man identified as victim in Santa Cruz Wharf crash
The victim of a Sunday morning crash at the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf that resulted...
Driver dies after vehicle drives off Santa Cruz Wharf
A driver died Sunday morning after their vehicle crashed through railing along the Santa Cruz...
Former Cachagua resident convicted of vehicular manslaughter
Jenny Rebecca Lesch, a former resident of Cachagua, Carmel Valley, will be sentenced on Nov....
ICE, Border Patrol operations in East Bay are officially ‘canceled,’ officials say
It was not immediately clear whether federal agents had already left the region.
Man arrested after three hit-and-runs in one night
Hernandez, driving a red Toyota Corolla eastbound on Fairgrounds Road, first rear-ended a silver Honda...
Former NFL running back Doug Martin’s brain to be tested for CTE, authorities confirm
The condition, which can cause erratic behavior and severe mental illness, is associated with repeated...
Security planning for Bay Area hosting Super Bowl and World Cup weighs grim specter of terrorism
With large-scale violence on the rise, often driven by political extremism, security will be on...
Monterey County Sheriff’s Office receives grant to fight alcohol-related crime
The grant is designed to help strengthen local efforts to enforce California’s alcoholic beverage laws,...
‘It’s really tragic’: Details emerge after former NFL star Doug Martin’s death in Oakland police custody
Martin's death -- after what police described as a "brief struggle" with officers -- sent...
Ex-NFL running back Doug Martin dies in Oakland police custody
Born in Oakland, Martin spent seven seasons in the NFL.
Inmate sentenced to life without parole for murder of another inmate
John Lydon, a 52-year-old inmate at Salinas Valley State Prison, was sentenced to life in...
Salinas man sentenced to 30 years for voluntary manslaughter, attempted murder
The District Attorney’s office announced in a press release Friday that the charges constituted two...
Rabid bat found in unincorporated Monterey County
Residents are urged not to touch bats under any circumstances, even if the animal appears...
Wanted felon arrested in possession of firearm, illegal drugs
Monterey County Sheriffs arrested a known wanted felon, Kory Yokomizo, on Sept. 29.
Monterey police search for suspect after hit and run
Monterey Police Officers responded to a reported hit and run on Sept. 27, after a...
Trump adviser suggests ICE could be present at Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium
Santa Clara hosts its second Super Bowl on Feb. 8, 2026.
Pacific Grove man arrested for possession of WWII era machine gun
Sheriff Tina Nieto described the WWII-era firearm in a press release as “a weapon of...
Pajaro residents to receive final phase of disaster relief
“Our staff will be proactively reaching out to households who qualified before, but we encourage anyone...
Boutique owner fined for selling illegal products
The District Attorney’s Environmental Protection Unit found that Tracy Odle, the owner of Augustina’s Designer...
A Salinas Valley woman’s 3-year vigil to free husband from Afghanistan
The Taliban arrested Zulhija Khan's husband, a U.S. citizen, after a CIA drone strike on...
Teen charged in shooting of San Francisco 49ers’ Pearsall will not be tried as an adult
The teen charged with shooting San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall during an attempted...
Man convicted of assault in 1980s deemed sexually violent predator
Johnson was first convicted of violent sexual assault in June 1985.
Police looking for additional suspects connected to violence during County Fair
Police say a series of fights at the Monterey County Fair on Aug. 30 escalated...
Monterey fire department takes over Carmel ambulance services
Officials say residents shouldn’t notice any service disruption.
How to defend a home from wildfire: UC Berkeley researchers’ lessons from infernos
Three key lessons for protecting homes from wildfire emerged, two of them applying to individual...