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.

Vehicle crashes into church

Someone drove a vehicle into the front of Turlock church and then promptly took off, leaving the police department to wonder if it was an accident or an intentional act. The Holy Ground Ministry at 305 W. Canal Dr. sustained significant damage to the front of the building from the encounter. The front door was ripped from the frame and the wood and brick frame work at the base of the building were ...

Horses killed on rural road

A gruesome scene greeted California Highway Patrol officers Saturday morning when four horses were killed on a rural road west of Turlock.

Bullet grazes teen

A Delhi teen was grazed by gunfire Saturday night and is refusing to tell law enforcement any of the details.

Jail escapee caught, along with girlfriend and wife

The inmate who escaped from the John Latoracca Correctional Facility in El Nido on Valentine's Day is back behind bars, as is his wife and girlfriend.

Inmate breaks out of Merced correctional facility

A manhunt is underway for the inmate who escaped from a Merced County jail Tuesday morning by tunneling out of the facility. The escape from the John Latoracca Correctional Facility in El Nido has been identified as Zachary William Johnson, 32, of Morgan Hill. Johnson's disappearance was noticed around 7 a.m. when correctional officers were conducting a routine headcount of the dorms. When the count came up one short an inspection of ...

Methadone sale nets prison time

A Turlock man convicted of selling methadone was sentenced to prison for 11 years and eight months, according to the Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office. Jerry Jay Edgar, 55, also admitted two prior convictions for drug sales offenses from 1997 and 2002, and admitted a prior prison commitment from 2002. On July 31, 2009, officers from the Turlock Police Department responded to a report of possible drug sales occurring at a trailer ...

Investigators seek burglary suspects

The Turlock Police Department is seeking the public's assistance in identifying two men believed to be responsible for a home burglary last year. The burglary happened sometime between Oct. 29, 2011, and Nov. 4, 2011 and was reported by the 75-year –old victim on Nov. 27, 2011, said police spokesman Sgt. Stephen Webb. Among the various items taken during the residential burglary was an ATM card belonging to the victim. On ...

Grant to aid prosecution in drunken driving cases

The Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office was awarded a one-year grant from the Office of Traffic Safety aimed at preventing deaths and injuries on the roadways and holding those at fault accountable. The $344,055 grant will fund two deputy district attorneys to prosecute felony and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter cases involving drugs or alcohol, felony driving under the influence and causing great bodily injury cases, as well as felony and misdemeanor driving under the ...

Serial bank robber sentenced

A man convicted of robbing six banks in Turlock and Ceres was sentenced to multiple decades behind bars. Marty Rojas, 38, of Modesto was convicted on Jan. 20 of six counts of bank robbery. On Friday he was sentenced to 23 years in prison, according to the Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office. The prosecution said Rojas robbed Bank of America twice and was responsible for robberies at County Bank, Citibank, Union Bank ...

Man charged with rape

A Turlock man has been arrested on a rape charge after allegedly admitting to attacking a female relative. Miguel Angel Mendoza, 37, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of rape and is being held in Stanislaus County Jail on a $150,000 bail. According to the Turlock Police Department, the alleged rape occurred in May 2011 but wasn't reported until December. Mendoza initially denied the attack in December, but during a subsequent interview with ...

Preliminary hearing set for Denair teen charged with murder

A preliminary hearing for the murder case against Denair teenager Shanna Wills has been set for June 12. Wills, 18, is charged with murder, attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon. The charges stem from an encounter between Wills and her father Kenneth Wills, 62, and her mother, Susan Wills, on Mother's Day of last year that resulted in the death of Kenneth Wills and the hospitalization of Susan Wills for severe ...

Large marijuana grow found in Turlock following traffic stop

State clears abundance of DNA samples awaiting analysis

A backlog that slowed DNA testing in the state and jeopardized criminal prosecutions has been cleared, the California Attorney General's Office announced Wednesday.

One shot in home invasion robbery

An 18-year-old man was shot in the leg by four suspects ransacking a house in a search for drugs and cash, the Turlock Police Department reported. The victim's wound is considered non-life threatening and he is expected to make a full recovery, said Turlock Police Lt. Ron Reid. The home invasion robbery and the shooting occurred just before 8 p.m. Friday at a residence in the 1900 block of Fifth Street. <p ...

Occupant charged with setting house ablaze

A Turlock man found himself under arrest Sunday morning on the allegation he deliberately set his house on fire. Richard Russell Jr., 31, was booked into Stanislaus County Jail on a single charge of arson from the two-alarm blaze at his residence in the 1200 block of W. Springer Drive. Russell was the only occupant at the home. No injuries were reported. The Turlock Fire Department was dispatched around 6 ...