Turlock hosts SWAT, critical response training

In one room was a distraught mother who had barricaded herself and her children and refused to come out. In another, two agitated men were holding a group hostage. And across town there was an active shooter roaming inside a factory.

Four suspects nabbed for two drive-by shootings

Four Delhi men were arrested Sunday on the suspicion that they shot at homes in Delhi and Turlock, according to the Merced County Sheriff's Department.

DUI enforcement for Halloween

Turlock Journal Staff reports The anti-drunk driving campaign, Avoid the 12, will be out if force for the upcoming Halloween celebration. "With Halloween falling on a Saturday this year, we want to make sure revelers aren't taking the party to the roadways, putting trick-or-treaters and responsible motorists at risk," said Turlock Traffic Sgt. Robert Lugo. "Law enforcement officers throughout the region will be out in full force arresting and removing drunk drivers from our road." ...

Woman faces child endangerment charges after fight

A Turlock woman was arrested for child endangerment and assault with a deadly weapon after she was seen by a Turlock Police officer ramming a vehicle with her van.

Armed suspect robs store

A Turlock convenience store was robbed at gunpoint early Sunday night. The robbery occurred at the AM/PM store in the 4700 block of Golden State Boulevard at 1:28 a.m. Sunday. The clerk at the store said a man entered the store wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and a white bandana over his face. The suspect was armed with a gun and took an undisclosed amount of cash from the register. There were no injuries reported. ...

Burglary suspects nabbed

A suspicious car parked in front of an industrial complex caught the attention of a Turlock Police officer and led to the arrest of two people and the recovery of stolen property.

SWAT training set for Saturday

If a train of SWAT vehicles comes rumbling down the road Saturday, there's no need to panic.

Teen injured in Delhi gang fight

A fight between two rival gangs in Delhi left a 15-year-old boy with multiple stab wounds. The teen was air-lifted to a Modesto hospital and is expected to recover from his injuries, Merced County Sheriff's spokesman Deputy Tom MacKenzie said. Merced County Sheriff's Deputy Patrick Heaney was on patrol in the area of Shanks Road and Darlington Avenue around 3:30 p.m. Monday when he was flagged down and told of a fight at the nearby ...

Drug conviction for Turlock man

A Turlock man was found guilty of drug possession following a five-day jury trial. Urbano Chavez, 48, was convicted of possession of methamphetamine, according to the Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office. Agents with the Merced Narcotics Task Force served a search warrant on Feb. 20, 2007, at the home of Chavez in Turlock. In the home, agents found five grams of methamphetamine located in a sock on the kitchen table as well as less than ...

Auto theft suspect nabbed

A Modesto man was arrested in Delhi for stealing a car and being under the influence of a controlled substance, the Merced County Sheriff's Department reported.

Heightened security at football game pays off

Before the first football was sent spiraling into the air at the Harvest Bowl Friday night a game plan was being put into place to make sure that all the action stayed on the field.

Woman found dead in park

A 39-year-old woman was found hanging in a Turlock playground Tuesday morning. The woman was identified by the Turlock Police Department as Rebecca Hilburn. The preliminary investigation indicates the death was a suicide, according to the police department. The body was discovered around 7:40 a.m. Tuesday in Summerfaire Park by a city worker, said Turlock Police Lt. Jeff Lopes. The woman was hanging from a piece of playground equipment, the police said. Summerfaire Park is ...

Heart attack caused death of jailed ex-deputy

An investigation by the Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office has ruled that the death of Craig Prescott while in the custody of the Stanislaus County Jail, was accidental and not the result of being shot with a Taser.

K-9 memorial dedicated to past officers

The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department unveiled a new memorial Friday dedicated to their four-legged partners.

Delhi woman wounded by pit bull

A woman out for a walk with her dog was attacked by a pit bull in Delhi on Thursday morning. The 28-year-old woman was treated for several lacerations at Emanuel Medical Center. Some of the wounds were eight to four inches long, according to the Merced County Sheriff's Department. The victim was walking her dog in the area of Shanks Road and Letteau Avenue around 11:40 a.m. Thursday. She was walking through a vacant lot ...

Court room packed in day one of murder hearing for former sheriff’s detective

Child molester sentenced

A 45-year-old man convicted of molesting children in Turlock was sentenced to prison Monday. David Montano of Coto De Caza, Calif. was convicted of two felony counts of lewd acts upon a child. Upon learning that her two younger sisters had been molested by Montano, a 24-year-old woman went to the Turlock Police Department in 2008 to report her sisters' molests, as well as her own, which began back in 1988. <p ...

Suspicious death reported at egg farm

The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department is investigating the death of a man found at a Turlock egg supplier farm. The body was found Monday afternoon and the sheriff's department has not stated if it is a homicide investigation. The body did show signs of trauma, according to the sheriff's department. The name of the man or any other details, have not been released by the sheriff's department. The discovery was ...

Burglary suspect caught

A report of a suspicious person prowling in a Turlock neighborhood led to the arrest of a man on stolen property and drug charges. Around 2 p.m. Tuesday the Turlock Police Department received a report of a man sneaking around homes in the area of Marshall and N. Quincy streets. Officers arrived to find Derek Smith, 31, allegedly stealing gasoline, according to the police report. Smith had a small syringe ...

Phony claim of shooting puts schools on lockdown

A false report of a shooting prompted two Turlock schools to order lockdowns while police searched the area for the reported shooter. In the end, it was discovered the victim was hit with pepper spray during a domestic dispute and not shot, according to the Turlock Police Department. The incident began around 9 a.m. Wednesday when a man called 911 on his cell phone and told a dispatcher he had been shot. ...

Deceased baby found in garbage can

The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department is investigating the death of an infant found inside a garbage can outside a convenience store in Waterford. The discovery was made at 9:22 p.m. Thursday at the Bait Barn at 12505 Yosemite Blvd. in Waterford. A man was searching for aluminum in the small garbage cans near the gas pumps when he made the gruesome discovery. The infant was wrapped in a blanket and appeared deceased, ...

Shooting reported

The Turlock Police Department is investigating a shooting that was reported late Sunday night. Individuals riding in a vehicle in the area of Fosberg Road and Christoffersen Parkway flagged down an officer at 11:49 p.m. and said they had just been shot at by a passing vehicle. The shooter's vehicle was described as a white Jeep Cherokee. The officer could see taillights ahead, but the vehicle was quickly obscured by the ...

Family asks for justice

Through choked back tears and quavering voices, the family of a slain Hughson man made an emotional appeal to a Stanislaus County Superior Court judge to send a convicted murderer to prison for the rest of his life. The family of Donald Futch delivered victim impact statements to the court Tuesday in the hopes of obtaining a lengthy prison term for Darren Merenda, 32, of Turlock. The sentencing hearing for Merenda is ...

Rash of burglaries mar holiday weekend

While people were out enjoying Thanksgiving feasts and taking advantage of holiday shopping deals, crooks were busying themselves with breaking into homes and vehicles around town. A rash of property crimes, especially burglaries, were reported throughout the city. Between Thursday afternoon and Tuesday afternoon there were 15 residential burglaries and three commercial burglaries reported in Turlock. Additionally, there were eight larcenies, three auto burglaries and four auto thefts reported in the same time ...

Shootings gang-related, says sheriff’s office

A possible gang fight near the Delhi Fire Department and shots being fired at a house and car on Wednesday could be related, reported the Merced County Sheriff's Department. Just after 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, the Merced County Sheriff's Office was called to a possible gang fight near the Delhi Fire Department on Acacia Street. Deputy Ralph Zyskowski was in the area and saw a car driving erratically. It was weaving and running ...

Jury finds nut schemer guilty of fraud, money laundering

A former almond buyer at a Turlock nut processing plant was convicted on multiple charges tied to a long-term scheme to defraud local processors. After a two week trial a federal grand jury convicted Ronal John Salado, 59, of Modesto for conspiring to commit mail fraud and bank fraud, two counts of mail fraud, nine counts of bank fraud, and two counts of money laundering. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, which ...

Electrical power surge leads to pot bust

A spike in electrical usage at a Turlock residence was the tip needed to lead the Turlock Police Department's narcotics enforcement team to an indoor marijuana growing operation. As a result of the investigation, the narcotics team arrested two individuals and seized several pounds of marijuana. The team was alerted to the residence in the 900 block of Domingo Court in Turlock, after unusual power readings were recorded, said police spokesman Lt. ...

Drug deal gone bad results in shooting, arrests

Inmate attacks Merced Jail guard

A correctional officer at the Merced County Jail was injured by an inmate headed to court on a misdemeanor charge. The female deputy sustained injuries to her wrist, shoulder and face, said Merced County Sheriff spokesman Deputy Tom MacKenzie. The deputy was in the process of handcuffing 35-year-old inmate, Abel Ambrocio of Palo Alto, for court when he punched her in the face. MacKenzie said the attack was "without provocation or ...

Pit bull mauls toddler

A 3-year-old Winton boy sustained severe injuries when the family dog suddenly and viciously attacked him, the Merced County Sheriff's Department reported. The little boy was savagely bitten on his head and face, said sheriff spokesman Deputy Tom MacKenzie. The boy was flown to a hospital in Fresno and is expected to recover from his injuries, Mackenzie said. The attack was reported around 5 p.m. Monday in the 7000 block of ...