Hearing for teen mother delayed

The pretrial hearing for Jessica Mae Betts, the 19-year-old accused of killing her newborn and discarding her in a Dumpster, was continued for three months.

Bomb scare closes campus

A suspicious package found outside Julien Elementary School resulted in the campus being evacuated and the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department Bomb Squad being sent out Friday morning.

Man arrested twice in one night

Within a three hour time span a Turlock man was arrested twice, the second time for an attempted robbery, according to the Turlock Police Department.

Woman target of fraud investigation

A 32-year-old woman is being investigated for identity theft and fraud after she was caught trying to cash a stolen check.

Bar fight wounds two, ends with gunfire

A bar melee that looked like a scene from an old Western movie resulted in minor injuries for two men.

One dead in single car collision

An accident just north of Bradbury Road on southbound Highway 99 Monday morning claimed the life of a Livingston man.

Dairy worker robbed

A dairy worker in Hilmar was robbed at gunpoint early Sunday morning for his wallet. The victim was working on a dairy in the area of Johnson Avenue and Columbus Road around 5 a.m. Sunday, when he was approached by a man who put a gun in his face and demanded his wallet and cell phone, said Merced County Sheriff's Deputy Tom MacKenzie. The suspect also smashed the victim's car window and stole his stereo ...

Cop catches dancing teen on highway

A Turlock Police officer was witness to a strange site Tuesday morning on Highway 99 - a teenager dancing on the roof of a car.

Hilmar burglary suspects wrangled in

A Hilmar man stopped a burglary by blocking the four suspects in a driveway, according to the Merced County Sheriff's Department.

Manteca man enters guilty plea in Road Dog Cycle case

One of the 12 defendants charged with conspiracy and other crimes in the federal racketeering case involving the Road Dog Cycle shop, has pleaded guilty.

Hoyt murder trial in hands of jury

At one end of the courtroom hallway stood the friends and family of Kenneth Winter. At the other end was Michael Hoyt surrounded by his loved ones. And nestled in between in a small room were seven women and five men tasked with determining justice. A verdict was not reached on Friday and deliberations won't resume again until Thursday because of a scheduling issue with one juror. Hoyt, 53, is facing a ...

Car crashes into eatery

Panda Express patrons were startled on Monday afternoon when a car drove into the restaurant, injuring two. At around 3:16 p.m. Monday, the Turlock Police and Fire departments responded to a minor injury accident at Panda Express located in the 3100 block of Countryside Drive. When units arrived they found a vehicle partially inside the dining area. According to the TPD, the female driver was not injured, however, two male patrons inside the ...

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 ...