Police beat: Friends in low places

The latest from Sonoma Valley's finest...|

One of the more frequent tall tales ones cops hear from suspects is that a friend gave them something – or let them borrow something – but then the suspect can’t name the friend.

Deputies heard that story at about 9:37 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 4, when they responded to a report of a stolen car that had been spotted by a co-worker of the victim. Deputies found the stolen car in a parking lot at the Lucky supermarket in the Maxwell Village Shopping Center. The driver, Gemma Dick, 35, of Boyes Hot Springs, told deputies that a friend gave her the keys to the vehicle – but she couldn’t recall the name of the friend. During a search, deputies found a debit card that also didn’t belong to the suspect. She told them she might have found the card and used it.

Dick’s next ride was to the county jail on charges of felony possessing a stolen vehicle, appropriating lost property under $400, and a probation violation.

In other incidents reported recently to Valley law enforcement:

Thursday, Aug. 4:

12:07 a.m. – Deputies were sent to a residence on Cazares Circle for a domestic disturbance after a neighbor heard yelling and screaming. Both the suspect and the victim had been drinking and got into a dispute. The suspect reportedly pushed the victim to the ground but when questioned, he denied it. He also made threats. The suspect, Jose Barrios, 20, of Sonoma, was charged with felony domestic violence assault with injury, felony cruelty to a child, felony making threats and obstruct or resist a peace officer. He was transported to the county jail.

6:27 p.m. – Neighbors of a house that was red-tagged in the 500 block of Este Madera Drive, called the Sheriff’s Office when two of the former residents showed up. Deputies found the pair and detained them. The female gave deputies what turned out to be a false name. The woman, Erin McDermott, 33, of Santa Rosa, was arrested on charges of false identification to a peace officer, possession of a narcotic controlled substance and a felony warrant. The male, a 38-year-old Sonoma resident, was arrested on charges of possession of a controlled substance and a probation violation. Both received a chauffeured ride to the county jail.

Friday, Aug. 5:

5:21 a.m. – Deputies arrested an individual in the 800 block of Lyon Street after the man reportedly stole an expensive mountain bike and then assaulted the owner of the bike. Christopher P. Wolfe, 26, reportedly stole a $3,500 mountain bike from an acquaintance. When the acquaintance caught up with Wolfe later, the suspect brandished a stun gun and used it on the victim multiple times. And after the victim fell to the ground, Wolfe reportedly kicked him in the head. Deputies arrested Wolfe on charges of felony assault with a deadly weapon not a firearm, felony assault with a stun gun, felony burglary, felony grand theft of a bike and a probation violation. Wolfe was transported to the county jail.

5:26 p.m. – Deputies stopped a vehicle in the 20000 block of Broadway for a broken windshield. Both of the occupants were on probation and among the terms was that they not possess weapons. During a search of the vehicle, deputies discovered a canister of pepper spray, the bottom half of a pool cue, a baseball bat and a pellet gun. Deputies arrested Leanne M. Rankin, 25, of Boyes Hot Springs, on charges of felony prohibited use of tear gas by a convicted person and a felony probation violation. She was transported to the county jail.

8:55 p.m. – Deputies were sent to the area around Arnold Drive and Grove Street for a report of a physical confrontation between a male and female. When deputies arrived, the male was standing nearby and admitted that he had been involved in an altercation with the 14-year-old female that he was dating. During a search, deputies discovered the suspect had a six-inch knife that had brass knuckles as the handle. Deputies arrested Justin A. Stevens, 20, of Boyes Hot Springs, on charges of felony domestic violence with injury and felony possession of metal knuckles. Stevens was transported to the county jail.

Saturday, Aug. 6:

11:17 a.m. – While on patrol in the vicinity of Arnold Drive and Cherry Avenue, a deputy pulled over a vehicle for a violation. The motorist predicted that he’d be going to jail, and he was correct since he had two violations for driving on a suspended license. During subsequent questioning, he said he didn’t have any drugs on him, but during a search at the county jail, deputies found some pills in the man’s pocket. He said he didn’t know the pills were there and said he thought the deputy had found them earlier. Since it’s a felony to bring drugs into a jail, Devin Cattolica, 25, of Santa Rosa, was charged with felony bringing a controlled substance into jail, possession of a narcotic controlled substance, a probation violation and driving while suspended.

3:47 p.m. – While on patrol in the area around Riverside Drive and Verano Avenue, a deputy spotted a wanted individual riding a bike. When the deputy tried to stop the wanted bicyclist, the man tried to escape but ended up crashing in the creek instead. During a search of the man’s backpack, the deputy found some ammunition and a brown liquid substance that later tested positive for heroin. Steven M. Perez, 28, of El Verano, was arrested on charges of felony felon in possession of ammunition, possession of a narcotic controlled substance, obstruct or resist a police officer and a bench warrant. Instead of a bike ride, he received a chauffeured ride to the county jail.

Thursday, Aug. 11:

11:30 a.m. – Deputies were sent to a taco stand on Highway 12 for a report of a man yelling at customers. The same man had earlier been yelling at customers at a retail outlet down the street. Deputies found the man – who was a “frequent flier” – and found his speech sluffed and he was ma=king nonsensical statements. The 30-year-old Santa Rosa resident was arrested on charges of bring under the influence of a controlled substance.

11:54 a.m. – While on patrol in the 800 block of Solano Avenue, a deputy spotted an individual who had an outstanding felony warrant. The man denied that he was the individual the deputy was looking for, and gave a different name, but the identification card the man pulled out belied his statement. The deputy arrested Michael R. Barber Jr., 22, of Sonoma, on the felony probation warrant, giving false identification to a peace officer and a second probation violation. He was transported to jail.

Saturday, Aug. 13:

2:37 p.m. – While waiting to pull out of the Valley substation on Grove Street, a deputy saw a car drive by with the driver chatting away on his cell phone. The deputy turned on his lights but the man failed to pull over. The motorist eventually pulled into a convenience store on Arnold Drive and Grove Street, and the deputy pulled in behind the man with his lights on. The man wasn’t aware of the deputy until the deputy knocked on the car window with his flashlight. The deputy noticed the man’s eyes were red and watery and asked him to perform some field sobriety tests, which the man failed. On a preliminary alcohol screening (PAS) the man blew a .21. Later at the station, the man blew a .21 on the Breathalyzer. Guillermo C. Hernandez, 45, of El Verano, was arrested on charges of driving under the influence, driving while suspended, a probation violation and use of a cellphone. He was transported to jail.

7:03 p.m. – A deputy was sent to Olsen Park for a report of an intoxicated male passed out on a picnic table. After awakening the subject, the deputy found the man was on searchable probation. During a search, the deputy found a prescription bottle of Oxycodone that belonged to the man. But the prescription had been filled two days earlier with 120 pills and there were only 38 left. The deputy arrested Ike Jackson-Anderson, 30, of Sonoma, on charges of a felony probation violation and being under the influence of a controlled substance. He was transported to jail.

8:07 p.m. – Deputies were sent to the Safeway for a shoplifter. When they arrived, store security had detained the 26-year-old woman who had appropriated two energy drinks and two ice cream bars with a total cost of $18.32. Before transporting the woman, the deputies asked if she had anything else that she wasn’t supposed to have, and she admitted to having methamphetamine and a meth pipe secreted in her underwear. The woman was charged with shoplifting, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

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