New CEO for Merced court

The new Chief Executive Officer of Merced County Superior Court is Linda Romero Soles, a former Turlock resident.

Suspect flees, copper recovered

The Merced County Sheriff's Department is searching for the man who tried to steal copper wiring from a Ballico farm.

Rape Aggression defense class

The Turlock Police Department and Stanislaus State University Police are providing Rape Aggression Defense training to women in Turlock. The training is offered at no cost to the public. The 12-hour course is broken up into two sessions over a period of two weeks.

Collisions injure one on highway

A chain-reaction of crashes on Highway 99 in Turlock injured one and slowed traffic down for a short time Tuesday afternoon.

Jury convicts Turlock brothers of killing rapper

Two mothers sat on opposite sides of a courtroom. One was waiting for justice for her slain son and the other was waiting to hear if her two sons would ever know freedom again.

Murder suspect testifies gun went off on accident

After five weeks of testimony and a day of listening to closing arguments, the fate of two Turlock men accused of gunning down a 26-year-old man with aspirations of rap stardom, is inching closer to being in the hands of 12 jurors.

Bank robber makes bomb threat before fleeing

The Turlock Police Department is seeking the man responsible for a bank robbery and launching a bomb scare.

Fatal hit and run suspect racks up another traffic citation

The Patterson woman who is standing accused of hitting a bicyclist while driving on a Turlock road and leaving him mortally wounded, was issued another traffic citation March 25, just five days before her last court appearance.

Former postal worker charged with fraud

A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against a Turlock woman suspected of committing multiple acts of mail and workers' compensation fraud while employed as a postal worker, according to the Department of Justice.

Gangsters crash soldier’s party

A going away party in Hilmar for a man joining the military was crashed by suspected gang members and escalated into a large brawl that injured several and resulted in four arrests.

Nosy neighbor earns accolades for thwarting theft

The Turlock Police Department has awarded a commendation to a citizen for his pivotal role in apprehending three burglars.

Disrespect impetus for shooting, says DA investigator

The prosecution rested their case this week against two Turlock men standing accused of killing an aspiring rapper at a memorial barbecue, by presenting testimony to the two men's extensive gang history and the suspected motive behind the murder.

Crime rate drops in 2010

For a third consecutive year the crime rate in Turlock has dropped, though for 2010 it was done with the smallest of margin.

Gunshot scares off burglars

A homeowner scared away a group of burglars when he fired his gun into the floor.

Molestation suspect nabbed in Orange County

A man wanted by the Turlock Police Department on suspicion of molestation charges, was arrested Thursday in Orange County.

Hoyt recounts details of fatal fight

In an effort to disprove the murder charge looming over him, Michael Hoyt took the stand Tuesday to tell the jury his recollection of the altercation on a rural Turlock road on Feb. 1, 2010, that ultimately ended in the death of Kenneth Winter. Hoyt is facing a second-degree murder charge for the death of 67-year-old Winter. The Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office case against Hoyt alleges he was so upset over a ...

Bomb scares prompt school lockdown, road closure

Two suspicious devices found Morning morning on Lander Avenue prompted a school lock down and a road closure as the county bomb squad investigated. Cunningham Elementary School was put on a lock down for several hours and Lander Avenue between Linwood and Glenwood avenues was closed to traffic for part of the morning and afternoon. The school was put on lockdown just as a precaution. Neither device turned out to be ...

THS fire causes $4k in damages

A fire in a small bathroom next to the Turlock High School library caused approximately $4,000 in damages, according to the Turlock Fire Department report. School was in session when the call went out that heavy black smoke was seen coming from the Turlock High School library at 11:59 a.m. Tuesday. Four engine companies and 15 firefighters responded to what turned out to be a small fire in a bathroom, and it was ...

DA questions credibility of only witness to fatal roadside beating

After more than a week's worth of testimony that sought to lay out point by point the evidence that led investigators to arrest Michael Hoyt for murder in the death of Kenneth Winter and discredit the defense's theories, the prosecution brought their case to a close Friday. The defense's response was to ask for the entire case to be dismissed based on a lack of evidence. Defense attorney Frank Carson said he ...

Turlock business owner tracks stolen truck; fights armed thief

When Dale Falkenberg, owner of Dale's Guitar, discovered that his truck was stolen in the early morning hours on Monday, he immediately started a Valley wide search. That search, which included a call out to 1,000 Facebook friends, resulted in a tip that his truck was in a Delhi parking lot. Eager to retrieve his truck, the Turlock music man headed to Delhi and eventually found his stolen vehicle at a convenience store. ...

Blood evidence presented at murder trial

The murder trial for the Turlock man accused of beating a man to death over a traffic incident continued Tuesday with a series of law enforcement witnesses testifying to the forensic evidence collected during the investigation. Michael Hoyt, 53, is on trial for second-degree murder for the murder of 67-year-old Kenneth Winter in February 2010. The Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office contends Hoyt was angered by Winter over a traffic incident on Paulson ...

Turlock man dies in Modesto crash

A two vehicle collision in east Modesto Monday morning resulted in the death of a 43-year-old Turlock man. The Stanislaus County Coroner's Office identified the deceased as Al Avila of Turlock. Avila was killed in a collision at Claribel and Bentley roads in Modesto, according to the California Highway Patrol. Avila was driving a 1999 Toyota Corolla westbound on Claribel around 7 a.m. Monday. Oscar Ibarra, 22, of Oakdale was driving ...

Dispute erupts into gunfire

Turlock men arrested for passing fraudulent checks

Two Turlock men were arrested Friday for allegedly passing fraudulent checks at a Ceres grocery store. A clerk at the Pine Street Market called police at 12:30 a.m. after a man attempted to cash a check that appeared to be suspicious. Donald Rush, 45, of Turlock, was apprehended by Ceres Police Detective Darren Venn after he left the store and was found in possession of fraudulent documents. He faces charges of forgery, ...

Key DA witness in Hoyt murder trial falters on stand

When Brooke Soares took the witness stand in the case against Michael Hoyt she was confident about what she had seen and heard when she drove upon two men clashing with one another in the middle of Paulson Road in Turlock on Feb. 1, 2010. By the time she left the witness stand she had admitted that on that day she described herself to a detective as "scatter-brained." In between and over ...

Police arrest Turlock grocer for child molestation

A Turlock grocer was arrested Wednesday night on allegations he molested a child over the span of several months. Sadik Algharazi, 37, of Turlock was taken into custody and gave a statement to the Turlock Police investigators prior to being booked into the Stanislaus County Jail on suspicion of child molestation. According to the Stanislaus County Recorder's records, Algharazi is the owner of Sid's Oasis Market on East Avenue in Turlock. ...

Police apprehend two in break-in

One man and one teenager are facing burglary charges after they were caught coming out of a Turlock home with property from the residence. Isaac Hensley, 20, and a 16-year-old juvenile were charged with burglary following Thursday's capture. Around 10 a.m. a neighbor in the 400 block of Sherri Way reported a possible break-in at a nearby home. Officers arriving at the scene found the pair leaving the home with some ...

Man punches elderly relative

A 67-year-old woman is recovering from injuries she sustained after being punched by a 42-year-old man. The suspect, identified as James Monroe, is facing a charge of elder abuse, according to the Turlock Police Department. Two callers contacted the police department around 7 p.m. Saturday and reported seeing a man punch an older woman while sitting in a vehicle in the 2700 block of Monte Vista Avenue. The victim was able ...

Three stabbed in Turlock street fight

A brawl between several individuals in the middle of a Turlock street resulted in three people being treated for stab wounds. The incident, which remains under investigation by the Turlock Police Department, was reported around 8:50 p.m. Monday in the 500 block of Wolfe Avenue. Most of the individuals involved in the fight had fled the scene by the time Turlock Police officers arrived. The officers did find one man with a ...

Murder trial underway for road rage beating

In his dark gray suit, eyeglasses and his graying hair and beard trimmed short, Michael Hoyt is hardly recognizable as the man who was arrested three years ago and charged with the brutal beating death of a 67-year-old man. Just as unrecognizable are the final photographs taken of Kenneth Winter, which show a bruised and swollen face, a far different picture of the man who left his Denair home the morning of Feb. ...