San Rafael Police Year in Review for 2023

 

SAN RAFAEL POLICE DEPARTMENT

The Year in Review for 2023

January:

01/04/23 – The year started off with a strong storm that hit the Bay Area.  During the storm, dispatch received multiple calls of a boat in trouble that had run onto the rocks by the entrance to the San Rafael Creek. Two people were on board and our patrol Boat, Rescue 22, was dispatched with Marine Officer Hedeen, Sgt. Graham and Officer Henkle on board.  The officers reached the boat and were able to tow it to a safe place in the canal.

01/05/23 – At 2036 hours, a male called SRPD to report that a blue BMW drove by him and a passenger in the car shot him with a pellet gun.  While Officer Clary was interviewing the victim, the car drove by, however officers were not able to find it.  A few hours later a second victim reported being shot and they gave the same vehicle description.  After a search, officers found the car parked on Larkspur Street with three occupants inside.  The suspects were contacted, and one male was found to have a Ghost Gun in his waistband, another male had the pellet gun.  One person was booked and the other, a 17-year-old, was cited for having the pellet gun.

01/08/23 – At about 2000 hours, a male identified as Victorina Lopez, 31 years, walked into Marin General Hospital with a gunshot wound to his pelvic area.  He was treated for his wound and was then interviewed by SRPD.  They determined that Lopez was shot on the street at 2980 Kerner, where they found shell casings. An investigation was started.

01/10/23 – Chief Spiller announced that he promoted Justin Dodson to Sergeant and Alex Holm to Lieutenant.

01/22/23 – Officers responded to a report of a truck on fire that was parked on Mill Street.  The fire department responded and put out the fire, however a male was found in the vehicle deceased.  Surveillance footage from a camera revealed that the male was sitting in his truck with the engine on, and drinking for about four hours, when the vehicle burst into flames. The victim was identified as 38-year-old Cornelio Jiminez Santana of San Rafael.

01/24/23 – SRPD held its annual awards ceremony in the city council chambers.  Awards for 2020 through 2022 were given to employees.  In addition, the following officers were promoted.  Carl Huber to Lieutenant, Michael Mathis to Sergeant, Scott Brooks to Corporal, Rick Cuddy to Corporal and Anndora Lee to Lead Communications Dispatcher.

01/23/23 – A male pulled into the Safeway parking lot on B Street and went into the store for a quick purchase.  Upon his return to the parking lot, he observed his car being driven out of the lot.  The victim ran after the car and caught up with it at the entrance to Albert Park.  He demanded his car back and the suspect driver pointed a gun at him and fled.  Officers later learned that credit cards that were in the car were used at Circle K.  Video from the store helped officers identify the suspects, who were arrested. The car was found a few days later in good condition.

01/24/23 – SRPD reported that it was soliciting bids to start its own team of crisis responders to provide emergency services for the mentally ill and homeless.  The agreement will be with non-profit Petaluma People Services Center to staff the team for a three-year period for a cost not to exceed $775,000 a year. The team will be called Specialized Assistance for Everyone (SAFE).  The team is expected to operate 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

01/26/23 – SRPD announced that it would be holding its third Spanish language Community Police Academy in March.

01/30/23 – The San Rafael City Council reported that they would be studying the idea of using tiny homes for the homeless.  This program has been in use in other cities around the Bay Area.

01/31/23 – The City of San Rafael received a claim from citizen Julio Lopez, 37, who reported that he received serious injuries while being arrested on Windward Way by SRPD Officers Nail and Mazariegos last year. The claim was filed by his lawyer; however, it did not specify a dollar amount at this time.

February:

02/01/23 – Around midday, SRPD received calls regarding a male who had exposed himself to several people, including a child in the 1700 block of Lincoln Avenue.  Officers responded and located the suspect, who was identified as Willie Clinton Jesse Jones, 43, of San Rafael.  A records check revealed that Jones had been out of prison for only one week, where he had served a term for sexual battery at San Rafael High School in 2021.  He was booked for indecent exposure and held without bail.

02/04/23 – At 7:37 am, a resident of Marin Lagoon called in a burglary in progress at his home.  He was upstairs and heard banging coming from downstairs.  He went downstairs and observed a huge hole in the interior door that connects the garage with the kitchen.  He then saw a woman walking around the garage talking to herself, holding a hammer.  Dispatchers advised the victim to let officers in through the front door, and when officers entered the residence, they found the female in the kitchen frying up some eggs.  An investigation revealed that the victim had left his garage door open overnight and the suspect entered, grabbed a hammer, and battered the interior door to get into the kitchen.

02/08/23 – SRPD swore in three new employees to the department.  The new hires were Officer Marshall, Officer Zerga and Dispatcher Heredia.

02/09/23 – A cannabis delivery driver reported to police, that while in the Canal neighborhood on Belvedere Street.  The driver reported that a man approached him and indicated to him that he had a gun.  The victim handed over property to the suspect, who fled.  Officers responded and a short time later, they found the suspect in his home about a block from the scene.  Booked for robbery was Jorge Arturo Kroell Leal, 25 of San Rafael.

02/17/23 – Kaiser Hospital E.R. called SRPD to report that a man who was being treated, bit through a cable that was used to secure an iPad for translation purposes.  He ran out of the E.R. with the iPad and several other items.  Hospital staff confronted him in the parking lot and a tug of war ensued.  He managed to get away, however he was later located down the street by Safeway.  He was booked for robbery and other charges.

02/25/23 – The Channel 7 News I-Team aired a story regarding the use of force incident involving Officers Nail and Mazariegos.  The story centered around why it was taking so long to bring the incident to a final outcome. Their focus was on the District Attorney’s Office regarding their delay in deciding if they were going to file charges against the officers.

02/27/23 – On 05/12/21, officers responded to North Avenue regarding a missing person report of a landscaper who had been working there.  Upon arrival and during a search, officers found the murdered body of David Sanchez under some bushes.  An investigation resulted in the arrest of Miguel Alejandre and on 02/24/23, he was convicted of first-degree murder.

02/28/23 – SRPD announced that they arrested a man for the robberies of two Walgreens stores in Marin. Joseph Aaron Stewart, 30, of Novato, was arrested for robbing the Walgreens store in San Anselmo. He entered the business wearing a mask and saying that he had a gun.  He fled with prescription drugs. About 10 minutes later the San Rafael Walgreens reported that they had been robbed. Officers arrived and after a brief chase, they took Stewart into custody.  He was booked for two counts of robbery as well as other related charges.

02/28/23 – Officer Kevin MacDougald retired from the San Rafael Pollice Department after 45 years of service. He started his career with San Rafael P.D. in 1975 as a reserve officer, then transferred to Stanford University Department of Public Safety.  He then returned to SRPD in 1979. He will be missed by all.

 

March:

03/01/23 – SRPD K-9 Achilles retired from the department on this date.  He came to the department in 2019 and served with Officer Zach Brickell.  He participated in many public relations events and had also been involved in numerous high-risk cases.  He performed a great service for the department.

03/03/23 – SRPD dispatch began to receive several 911 calls from a well-known homeless person who verbally harassed the dispatchers.  The caller asked to speak to a supervisor and when the supervisor called him back, he would not answer and continued to call 911.  During one of the calls, he stated that he was near the police station.  Officers performed a search of the area and found the subject hiding in the old bicycle cage by the rear door of the old police department. He was booked on multiple charges.

03/07/23 – Officers responded to a report of an injury auto-ped accident at Second and Lincoln on 02/27/23.  A female was struck by a car at the intersection. She was transported to the hospital, but several days later, it was reported that Leticia Gonzalez, 59 of San Rafael, passed away as a result of her injuries. 

03/10/23 – SRPD held a public forum at the Albert J. Boro Community Center in the Canal District as a result of a use of force arrest on Windward Way last year.  One suggestion was to establish a police oversite committee.  The department reported that they were making many changes in order to better serve the public. A march protesting the arrest was set for 03/31/23.

03/12/23 – The city council voted to ban camping at Albert Park.  A camp with about 20 people had been set up there several months ago.  The vote was an expansion of the no camping ordinance at Boyd Park. 

03/12/23 – The Marin I.J. published two articles concerning the use of force arrest on Windward Way involving Officers Nail and Mazariegos.  The Editorial stated that it had been eight months since the incident and details were lacking about what happened.  It also cited mounting city expenses for hiring independent investigators. An opinion article also appeared in the paper by Columnist Dick Spotswood who reported that the District Attorney’s Office was still trying to decide if they were going to charge the officers.

03/22/23 – SRPD hosted a Spanish Speaking Community Police Academy.  It is a 10-week program for Spanish Speaking citizens. The offering covers many aspects of the operation of the police department.

03/25/23 – SRPD officers removed a homeless encampment that had been at Albert Park for a few months. After receiving a favorable decision from the federal court, about 20 campers were cleared from the park.  The police had received complaints about sanitation, alcohol, drug use and fights. A U-Haul truck was provided to assist campers in moving their belongings from the park.

03/26/23 – Officers were called to Marin General Hospital regarding a person who had walked into the E.R. with a gunshot wound.  The victim was uncooperative but claimed to have been shot in the Canal District. Officers determined that when he called a friend for a ride to the hospital, he was picked up at Bellam and Francisco.  It was felt that this shooting was gang related.

03/31/23 – Demonstrators gathered in San Rafael calling for movement in the use of force arrest involving SRPD Officers Nail and Mazariegos.  The two demonstrations started at Pickleweed Park and the Marin County Civic Center and converged at city hall.  The crowd wanted the ongoing investigation to be transparent so full details could be given to the public. They also wanted the District Attorney’s Office to file charges against the officers.

April:

04/04/23 – At about 2:00 pm SRPD dispatchers received a call from a subject reporting a shooting at one of the schools in San Rafael and that people were injured.  Officers responded to the school and found that nothing was wrong.  The dispatchers reported that the call did not sound right due to the caller’s tone of voice.  Detectives reached out to the FBI and learned that this call was one of many made in California and the United States.  The FBI is investigating.

04/05/23 – SRPD welcomed the new SAFE Team (Specialized Assistance for Everyone) to the department – a unique crisis response, prevention, and intervention program for anyone in need.  The program is a new partnership between the Petaluma People Services Center and the City of San Rafael.  The team is made up of civilian first responders, who respond to and proactively address calls for service that traditionally burden law enforcement, emergency medical services, and health care providers.

04/07/23 – At 12:30 pm, officers were dispatched to a report of a motorcycle-vehicle collision on Bellam Blvd by the Marin Square Shopping Center.  Aryan Solanki, 21 years, was riding his motorcycle on Bellam Blvd. A Mercedes Sport Utility vehicle turned left in front of Solanki and he could not get out of the way of the car.  He crashed into the side of the utility vehicle.  Paramedics treated him at the scene and rushed him to a nearby hospital where he died of his injuries.

04/13/23 – SRPD detectives arrested Jason Carpenter, 46, of Benicia for stalking a woman in San Rafael. Carpenter dated the victim briefly and when they broke up, he began to stalk her, by putting glue in her door lock at her residence and breaking into her car.  Carpenter also threatened the victim, telling her that he had a gun.  A warrant was issued for Carpenter, and he was arrested at his residence, where four firearms were located.

04/16/23 – The San Rafael Planning Commission revoked the use permit for a long-standing nightclub called Georges on Fourth Street.  The commission cited a double homicide that took place in the area two years ago and noted that the police had responded to 30 calls there in the last year.  The owner, Esly Figueroa, filed an appeal and the nightclub was allowed to remain open pending the appeal process.

04/16/23 – At 1:17 am, Officer Rick Clary (Jr) ran a license plate check on a vehicle traveling westbound on Third Street.  The car came back stolen, and it was stopped, and the driver and passenger were detained.  A search of the car revealed a loaded Glock 40 handgun with a high-capacity magazine, that had also been reported stolen.  The driver was arrested on a variety of charges.

04/22/23 – Officers responded to a report of an attempted robbery involving a gun at Pickleweed Park.  As officers arrived, several people fled.  Officers chased one suspect and caught up to him and detained him.  A loaded .38 snub-nose revolved was recovered.  Officers learned that the suspect and victim had been drinking at the park when the suspect suddenly pulled a gun, asking the victim for money.  When the victim showed the suspect that he had no money, the suspect fled, but was caught by officers a short time later.  Maguiver Vicente, 20 years of San Rafael was booked for attempted robbery.

04/25/23 – At 1:45 am officers responded to the area of Medway and Canal Street on a report of a fight in the street.  The first officer arrived in one minute and located a male in the street with stab wounds.  He was transported to the hospital where he was expected to survive.  Additional officers flooded the area and located two subjects a short distance away who were detained.  The two subjects were positively identified as being involved and a knife was also located.  Both were booked at MCJ on felony assault charges.

04/27/23 – At about 9:46 am, SRPD dispatch received a report of a man with an axe hitting cars.  Officers responded and interviewed a witness who had taken a video of the suspect striking a phone pole causing damage.  Officers located the suspect a short distance away and were able to contain him and take him into custody with no injuries.

04/30/23 – At about 9:45 pm, SRPD dispatch started receiving calls of shots fired with someone calling for help in the area of Hoag and Mill Street.  Officers arrived a short time later and found a victim with a gunshot wound to his foot.  The victim reported that as he was walking on the street, he was approached by three males, one who displayed a gun.  They demanded the victim’s wallet, but when the victim showed them that he did not have a wallet, the suspect with the gun struck him in the face.  The victim fled and the suspect with the gun then began shooting at the victim, striking him in the foot.  The suspects were not located.

 

 

 

 

May:

05/03/23 – City of San Rafael officials announced that they would not be releasing the results of a report concerning a use of force arrest involving Officers Nail and Mazariegos.  City Attorney Rob Epstein reported that the report was exempt from public exposure because of state mandated employee privacy rights.  He added that the report was under review by Chief Spiller who will determine whether disciplinary action will be taken.

 

05/03/23 – Officers responded to a report of a suspicious package left in front of a building on Smith Ranch Road.  The package was emitting an odd odor, so officers called the University of California bomb squad, who responded and determined that the package contained 20 pounds of rotting fruit.

 

05/08/23 – At about 4:45 pm, a man parked his car in the Montecito Shopping Center parking lot by the Redwood Credit Union.  As the man was getting out of his car, a male approached him and demanded the keys to his car.  The victim refused and the suspect then attacked the victim, punching him violently. A security guard working at the credit union saw what was happening and he ran to assist the victim. The guard separated both subjects and the suspect then fled on foot, but he tripped and fell, allowing the guard to apprehend him and cuff him.  The suspect, who was identified as Edward Ganny Carroll, 41 years of San Rafael was booked on a variety of charges. 

 

05/10/23 – In September of this year, officers responded to Cogir Memory Health Care at 111 Merrydale Road regarding a female patient who was reported to have been sexually assaulted.  A sexual assault exam revealed male DNA on the victim. Police suspected employee Michael Andre Shipe, 65 of Novato as being responsible for the assault and they were able to obtain a DNA sample from him.  The sample was sent to the crime lab, and it matched the male DNA collected from the victim. Shipe was booked on three felonies.

 

05/12/23 – Officers responded to Second and Grand Avenue on a report of a man with a hammer and long chain who was standing in the middle of the road swinging both items.  Officers contacted the male and were able to calm him down and take him into custody.

 

05/12/23 – At 2:15 am, Healdsburg police attempted to pull over a motorcycle that had no license plates.  The driver failed to yield, and a pursuit began with the suspect going southbound on Highway 101, traveling at speeds up to 130 mph.  With CHP and other law enforcement units in pursuit, the suspect threw a backpack to the ground at the Sonoma/Marin County line that turned out to have a loaded firearm inside.  The suspect took the San Rafael exit and headed downtown and then drove north on E Street by Falkirk where he attempted to drive up onto the hill, but then crashed.  He fled on foot but was chased down by a Sonoma S.O. canine.  Booked on a bunch of charges was Buck Knell, 25, of Santa Rosa.

 

05/16/23 – At 9:15 pm, officers responded to a report of a vehicle accident at the top of Lincoln Avenue.  Upon their arrival, they found a male in a Tesla, who had struck three parked cars.  The man said that the car was in full self-drive mode at the time of the crash, which is no defense. Officers quickly determined that the male was under the under influence with a BAC of .12%.  Booked for DUI was James Fish, 73 of San Rafael.

 

05/18/23 – Officers responded to an empty building located at 900 Las Gallinas Avenue after receiving a report that several suspects had broken into the building.  Officers set up a perimeter around the building and while investigating the incident, a 16-year-old juvenile started to taunt and yell at the officers in an apparent attempt to create a diversion. The juvenile left for a short amount of time, but returned with some coke bottles and began throwing them at the officers.  Several officers were cut by flying glass.  The Sheriff’s Office responded to assist and took the juvenile into custody.  He was booked on assault charges.  The burglary suspects managed to escape during the incident with the 16-year-old juvenile.

 

05/23/23 – At 3:30 am, a male approached San Rafael Fire Station 54 in the Canal District.  He began throwing rocks at the newly remolded building and broke several windows, causing about $5,000 in damage to the building.  The building was vacant at the time for remolding and when construction workers arrived, they discovered the damage and notified SRPD.  At 8:20 am, an officer was driving on Bellam Blvd. when a man threw a bottle of beer at the patrol car.  He was quickly taken into custody, and it was determined that he was responsible for the vandalism to the fire station.  Booked at Marin County Jail was Kevin Cook, 37, of San Rafael.

 

05/24/23 – Officers Harwood and Gomez graduated from the SRJC police academy.

 

05/27/23 – On May 4, 2021, Wilmer Velasquez, 23 of San Rafael, was shot in the back of the head while riding in the front passenger seat of a car on Windward Way.  The suspect in the case, Jeffrey Osmaldo, 21 years, was arrested for murder, but the charge was reduced to voluntary manslaughter through an agreement between the prosecution and the defense.  Osmaldo was sentenced to14 years in prison for the crime.

 

June:

06/01/23 – The Orange County Sheriff’s Department called SRPD for assistance in locating a subject who had been making threats against the Laguna Hills football team, because the team had defeated a team in San Jose that the suspect supported.  At 2:50 am, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office notified SRPD that the suspect had made another threatening call from the San Rafael Transit Center.  Officers arrived and took Eugene Thomas Jenkins, 29 years, into custody for making threats.  He was transferred to the Orange County Jail.

 

06/07/23 – The San Rafael City Council voted unanimously to form and recruit residents to its Police Advisory and Accountability Committee, to start in July of 2023.  The plan was criticized by several members of the community, saying that forming the committee did not go far enough. The committee was formed as a result of the use of force arrest last year on Windward Way by Officers Nail and Mazariegos.

 

06/13/23 – At 5:30 am, an officer pulled over a car at Third and Grand Avenue for a traffic violation and an equipment violation.  A check of the driver revealed that he was on felony probation.  The officer asked the suspect to exit the car and in so doing, the officer saw an outline of a gun in the driver’s pants that had fallen down his pants leg.  Officers took the person into custody and recovered a .38 revolver that had been reported stolen. Booked into Marin County Jail was Jesus Avila, 36 years old, of Vacaville.

 

06/17/23 – Officers responded to the San Rafael Transit Center regarding a Hispanic male with a gun, threatening another person.  As officers arrived, the suspect fled on foot, which resulted in a foot pursuit from the transit center to Lincoln Avenue, where the suspect was apprehended.  Officers located a firearm magazine, but no gun.  The firearm was later located in some bushes nearby. The suspect was booked at MCJ.

 

06/18/23 – City officials reported that SRPD Officer Daisy Mazariegos, who had been involved in the use of force incident on Windward Way last year, left employment on 05/15/23.  She had been on paid leave since an internal investigation started on 09/02/22.  The other officer involved in the incident, Brandon Nail, was reported by Chief Spiller to still be on paid leave.

 

06/21/23 – A man suspected of several armed robberies in Marin County, including two in San Rafael, was spotted driving a car at Fourth and Grand Avenue.  Officers attempted to stop the car; however, the driver did not yield, and a pursuit began.  The driver eventually ditched the car near San Quentin and fled on foot.  Officers, with assistance from other agencies, located the suspect in the back seat of a truck driven by what was thought to be an associate of the suspect.  Corey Brian Gill, 33 years of San Rafael, was booked for robbery, kidnapping and driving a stolen vehicle.

 

06/23/23 – The Marin I.J. reported that it was suing the City of San Rafael on allegations that the city violated public records law by withholding the internal investigation regarding the use of force arrest by SRPD officers Nail and Mazariegos.  In the suit, the I.J. was seeking to uncover the report of the investigation and any disciplinary action taken against the involved officers. The report was completed on 04/28/23 and the city soon announced that it could not be released to the public.

 

06/23/23 – At 4:38 PM, two SRPD officers responded to a call in the 200 block of Canal Street on a report that a resident in an apartment was looking out his window and reported that a woman was being killed.  Upon arrival, the officers observed Brandon Hernandez-Sanchez, 29 years old, of San Rafael, at the top of the stairs of the apartment complex.  The officers noted that the suspect appeared to be under the influence of drugs and two juveniles in another apartment reported that the suspect tried to make entry to their apartment.  After an evaluation of the suspect, officers attempted to take the suspect into custody, however he became violent and fought with the officers.  He managed to break free of the officers and ran upstairs and jumped through a glass window to the apartment where the juveniles had been.  He tried to barricade himself in one of the rooms, however the officers were able to stop him.  After several officers arrived to assist, he was taken into custody.  He was booked into Marin County Jail.

 

06/24/23 – At 3:00 PM, officers received a report of a fight at Fourth and D Street in the downtown district. Officers did not locate anything, however a witness reported that a gun was fired.  Officers found used ammunition and a bullet nearby, but no suspects.  Another witness reported that a man with a gun tried to rob him at gunpoint of his cell phone.  He was able to take a photo of the suspect and he showed it to the officers. A detective recognized the suspect as being Marco Gramajo, 31 of San Rafael.  He was on parole and CDC agents located him at his residence and arrested him after a brief struggle.

 

06/27/23 – At about 1:45 PM, SRPD dispatch began receiving several 911 calls regarding a man on the Starkweather Shoreline Path, near the back side of 2100 Francisco Blvd. Callers reported that the man had fired a gun and was brandishing it and threatening other people who were walking on the path. Officers arrived quickly and located the suspect hiding near a building at 2675 Francisco Blvd. He was taken into custody without incident.  A gun was located nearby.  Video surveillance showed the suspect pointing the gun at the head of a passing bicyclist.  He apparently fired the gun one time in the air.  Booked on various charges was Jose Arguello-Gutierrez, a 59-year-old San Rafael resident.

 

06/29/23 – The Marin District Attorney’s Office announced that they would be filing felony and misdemeanor charges against former SRPD Officers Brandon Nail and Daisy Mazariegos regarding the use of force arrest on Windward Way last year.  District Attorney Lori Frugoli announced that after a thorough investigation, she believed that there was sufficient evidence to prove all charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

 

July:

07/06/23 – SRPD was able to have a booth at this year’s Marin County Fair.  They were able to talk to and meet many members of the community.

 

07/07/23 – At 11:40 AM, an officer observed a subject run a red light at Second and Grand Ave.  When the officer attempted to pull over the car, the driver fled, and a short pursuit began.  The suspect turned onto Mission Avenue and when passing San Rafael High School, he crashed the car in front of the gym.  He and a passenger fled on foot, but the driver was caught in the backyard of a residence.  Booked for auto theft and evading officers was Albin Mendez-Mazariegos, 22 of San Rafael.  He was on felony probation at the time of his arrest.

 

07/07/23 – At 8:40 PM, a man was walking his dog in the 3400 block of Kerner Blvd, when a man approached him and attacked him with a knife, stabbing him three times. The suspect fled and was not located; however, a witness got a photo of the suspect and when shown to officers, they recognized him.  Officers located him the next day in an apartment on Kerner Blvd.  When arrested it was reported that he had the knife used in the assault in his possession.  Booked for attempted murder was Alexander Amaya-Rodriguez, 42 of San Rafael.

 

07/08/23 – At 10:25 PM, SRPD began receiving calls of a power outage in the area of Smith Ranch Road. One caller reported that they thought that an aircraft had collided with power lines near the San Rafael Airport.  Officers responded there and found a plane in the marsh area with wires wrapped around it.  Officers had to wait for PG&E to turn off the power before attempting to rescue the occupants.  Once this was done, officers and the fire department discovered two males inside.  One was transported to the hospital and the other was pronounced deceased at the scene.  The case was turned over to the Marin Sheriff’s Office as it took place in their jurisdiction.

 

07/11/23 – At 7:10 AM officers received a call that a man with a pipe was smashing a window at a motel in the 800 block of Francisco Blvd.  Upon arrival, officers observed Cesar Santos-Diaz, 36 of San Rafael, standing in the street in an agitated state.  Officers were able to take him into custody after a brief struggle.  He was booked for felony vandalism and drug charges.

 

07/12/23 – The San Rafael City Council had a first reading of an ordinance to curb homeless camping to reduce crime.  The ordinance would limit the camping area for a single person to 10 feet by 10 feet. Two or more people would be limited to 200 square feet.  Other restrictions were also in the ordinance.

 

07/16/23 – The Marin District Attorney’s Office announced that they were dropping a raft of criminal cases that involved SRPD Officers Mazariegos and Nail because of a use of force incident on Windward Way last year.  The Public Defenders office reported that they were looking at 10 cases and they had another 65 more that were going to be evaluated.

 

07/17/23 – The San Rafael City Council reported that they were soliciting input on topics that could be examined by the newly formed Police Advisory and Accountability Committee (PAAC). Residents were asked to apply for the seven open positions. Applicants were asked to apply by Sept. 22, 2023.

 

07/18/23 – At 6:00 AM officers and the fire department responded to a homeless encampment at Mahon Creek regarding a tent that was on fire.  Police determined that two people were involved in an argument over a cell phone, when one of the people displayed a machete and struck the victim with it.  The victim walked away, however the suspect set her tent on fire.  The suspect, Patricia Lynn Dennis, 55 was booked at Marin County Jail for assault with a deadly weapon and setting a fire.

 

07/22/23 – At 4:30 AM, officers responded to the parking lot by Falkirk regarding a report of gunfire.  Upon arrival, officers learned that a man had attempted to enter a tent belonging to a female.  The female blew a whistle to scare the intruder.  Another man in a nearby car ran to the tent to see what was happening and the intruder fired a gun.  It was unknown if the intruder was trying to shoot the man.  The intruder fled in a truck, but a witness got the license plate number.  Several days later an officer spotted the truck downtown and stopped it and found a gun in the vehicle.  The suspect, Eli Weston Harald, 33 of San Rafael, was booked for possession of a loaded firearm and discharging a firearm.

 

07/28/23 – SRPD hosted its first Touch a Truck event at Pickleweed Park.  Over 1,000 people attended, who had the opportunity to look at and touch a wide range of vehicles that were sent there by various local businesses.  Vehicles included a fire engine, tow truck, school bus, vintage cars and many others.

 

07/31/23 – At about 10:30 PM, officers received several calls reporting that a large group of people were fighting in the street on Windward Way and two people were injured.  Upon arrival officers observed about 14 people fighting.  It was broken up and officers arrested two of the main aggressors.  Paramedics were also called to treat several injured parties.  Booked for assault and other charges were Joselito Vasquez, 33 of San Rafael and Selvin Vasquez, 21 of San Rafael.

 

 

 

August:

08/01/23 – SRPD celebrated National Night Out, attending over a dozen neighborhood events throughout the city.

 

08/01/23 – At 2:55 PM, an officer on patrol in the area of Harbor and Front Street, observed a subject identified as Rudy Ipina-Guerra, 24 of San Rafael walking on the street.  The officer knew that the suspect had a $100,000 warrant out for his arrest, and he stopped to contact the suspect.  Another officer arrived and when they attempted to take the suspect into custody he fought with both officers.  Additional officers arrived to subdue the suspect; however, one officer was injured in the fight and was transported to the hospital. An imitation firearm BB gun was found in the suspect’s backpack.  Ipina-Guerra was booked on the warrant and assault on a peace officer.

 

08/02/23 – By order of the City Manager, a homeless camp by Falkirk was shut down by the police.  Officers responded to 107 calls there, including a recent shooting.  About eight campers were displaced.

 

08/04/23 – Officers throughout the Bay Area, including the SRPD, conducted “Operation Cross Country” as part of a nationwide crackdown on child sex trafficking.  Police arrested Simeon Ramariz-Lopez, 25 of San Rafael, after he arranged to have sex with what he thought was a 15-year-old girl.  Cited for arranging to pay for sex with a minor was Fredy Paxtor, 48 of Greenbrae.

 

08/11/23 – Former SRPD Officers Brandon Nail and Daisy Mazariegos appeared in Marin Municipal Court to answer charges of assault by an officer under color of authority and making false statements.  Both plead not guilty to the charges. The charges stem from a use of force arrest on Windward Way last year.

 

08/11/23 – While on patrol, officers found a suspect in the 400 block of Canal Street, who had two outstanding warrants.  When officers attempted to contact the suspect, he ran, and a pursuit began.  The suspect was caught in the 300 block of Canal Street and during a search after the arrest, officers found a loaded handgun and drugs.  The suspect, Wilmar Reyes-Deleon, 30, of Novato was booked on the warrants and for being a felon in possession of a handgun.

 

08/15/23 – SRPD hosted its Community Speed Safety Course for San Rafael residents.  The participants were given a course on how radar works, and they walked to the downtown area to estimate the speed of various cars traveling on the streets.

 

08/15/23 – The recent ordinance that was passed by the city council, restricting where homeless encampments could be and how close they could be to each other, was challenged when a group of homeless residents filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court. The legal action was to ask for a restraining order halting the city from enforcing their new ordinance. After a hearing, a judge granted a restraining order blocking the city from enforcing the new ordinance.

 

08/25/23 – The San Rafael City Council voted to add license plate reading cameras throughout the city due to an uptick in crime.  The $118,200 contract called for 19 license plate readers to be put at fixed locations in the city.  The police department reported that over the past five years, vehicle thefts have increased more than 50% with only a 45% recovery rate.  The cameras will be leased and serviced by a company called Flock Safety. The cameras will only take photos of the rear license plate of vehicles.

 

08/30/23 – At about 11:00 AM, SRPD started receiving calls about three subjects wearing ski masks driving an older white Suburban.  One incident involved the robbery and assault of a Terra Linda High student by the school. A short time later another teenager reported being attacked and robbed by the suspects. Officers started a search for the vehicle and located it in the Terra Linda area.  They attempted to pull the vehicle over, and it did not yield.  After a short pursuit, they stopped the car and arrested three juveniles and booked them into juvenile hall.

 

08/31/23 – it was announced that J.J. Nunez, the Professional Standards Background Investigator, was retiring.  J.J. began his career in the 1970’s as a San Rafael Police Officer and then transferred to the California Department of Justice as an Agent.  In the 1990’s J.J. retired as a police officer and began working again with SRPD doing backgrounds as well as other duties.

 

 

September:

09/03/23 – At 1:01 AM, officers responded to a report of shots fired in the Safeway parking lot in Terra Linda. The first officer on the scene found a victim with two gunshot wounds and he was transported to the hospital.  A fire truck responding to the scene observed three suspects with hoodies leaving the area.  A responding officer saw one of the suspects by the frontage road, but the suspect fled.  A search was started for the suspects; however, they were not located. On 09/13/23, a suspect car involved in the incident, with two suspects was located in downtown San Rafael and both of them were arrested without incident.

 

09/05/23 – Corporal O’Con was awarded the Vehicle Theft “10851” award by the CHP.  Cpl. O’Con recovered 11 stolen vehicles in the past year resulting in eight arrests. Award winners are given the “10851” pin that they can wear on their uniform.

 

09/06/23 – On 06/23/23, the Marin I.J. filed suit against the City of San Rafael in an attempt to have the city turn over the results of the internal investigation of officers Nail and Mazariegos regarding their use of force arrest on Windward Way last year.  The case was heard by Superior Court Judge Andrew Sweet, who ruled in favor of the Marin I. J.  He ruled that the city had until 09/25/23 to turn over the results of the investigation. The city had refused to make the report public, which sparked the legal action by the Marin I.J.

 

09/09/23 – U.S. District Judge Edward Chen extended a temporary restraining order prohibiting the City of San Rafael from enforcing its new ordinance regarding homeless encampments through 10/02/23.  The new ordinance limited how much space an encampment could occupy and how close they could be to each other.  A group of campers filed for the restraining order saying the ordinance was unconstitutional.

 

09/11/23 – A resident on Octavia Street reported that a man was stealing his TV screen from his driveway. When the resident confronted the suspect, the suspect swung the screen at the victim and in the process, he dropped the screen, breaking it.  Officers responded and located the suspect, identified as Hamilton Holman, 40, of San Rafael and booked him for robbery and violation of probation.

 

09/12/23 – At 5:00 AM a police officer on patrol, observed a vehicle make a left turn off Fourth Street and drive onto the SMART railroad tracks.  Once on the tracks, the driver accelerated, causing the vehicle to get stuck on the tracks.  Officers contacted the driver who was determined to be under the influence.  Booked for DUI was Kendrick Trevillion, 30, of Marin City.

 

09/13/23 – SRPD announced that it would be holding its fourth Spanish Community Police Academy to serve the Spanish speaking community.  The course will be held once a week for 10 weeks.

 

09/16/23 – The night started out as a peaceful celebration of Guatemalan Independence Day in the Canal District and the Northgate Mall. As the night progressed, a large group of people were gathered in the Canal. At 10:22 pm SRPD dispatch received reports of shots fired and upon arrival in the area, they found a 25-year-old male with two gunshot wounds.  He was put in a police car because of the large crowd and driven out of the area to a waiting paramedic unit.  At 1:30 am, a 20-year-old showed up at the hospital with a gunshot wound.  The victim, who was uncooperative, said he was shot in San Rafael.  At 12:30 am a male reported being stabbed in a fight.  Officers estimated that the Canal area was full of cars with over 1,000 people present.  Officers began closing streets with the help of many law enforcement agencies who responded to assist.  By 1:45 am, order had been restored.

 

09/16/23 – Two people were killed when their car crashed into the canal at the west end of Canal Street. When police and fire personnel arrived, the vehicle was submerged in the water.  Witnesses reported hearing a car traveling at about 70 mph traveling west on Canal Street, that then splashed into the water.  Fire personnel were able to remove the two trapped occupants from the vehicle.  The deceased were identified as Jose Gonzalez and Denison Hernandez, both 21 of San Rafael.

 

09/19/23 – Officers responded to Hammondale Court, off the top of Lincoln Avenue regarding a report of possible violence in a residence.  Callers reported hearing yelling and a possible gunshot.  Responding officers contacted a male at the door, who then went back inside the residence and refused to follow directions from officers.  Officers from other jurisdictions soon arrived, including the MCSO, who set up a drone to check the surrounding area of the residence.  Eventually a male came out of the house, who had superficial stab wounds. A female then came out of the residence.  Both were interviewed and not arrested pending further investigation.

 

09/30/23 – At 1:30 am, a patrol officer was driving through the intersection of Bellam and Francisco Blvd. when a male driving a car, ran a red light and slammed into the patrol car, pushing it about 100 feet down the road.  The officer was injured and taken to the hospital to be checked out.  The driver of the other car was identified as Julio Lopez-Perez, 34, of Novato.  It was determined that he was intoxicated, and he was booked for DUI causing injury and driving with no license.  The patrol car was a total loss.

 

October:

10/01/23 – The Marin I.J. reported that they received the results of the internal investigation conducted regarding Officers Brandon Nail and Daisy Mazariegos when they made an arrest on Windward Way last year.  The report cleared them of the use of excessive force, however the District Attorney’s Office still filed criminal charges against both officers. The I.J. received many records concerning this case.  They reported that Nail was fired and Mazariegos was released from employment. The criminal case continues.

 

10/01/23 – Two suspects entered Walgreens on Third Street and robbed the store by handing the clerk a note, saying that they had a gun and they wanted cash.  They escaped; however, 20 minutes later there was a robbery at Walgreens in the Central Marin Authority jurisdiction.  Detectives investigated and learned that there had been 10 similar robberies in the Bay Area.  On 10/18/23, Daly City P.D. arrested three suspects after they committed a similar robbery in their jurisdiction.  SRPD was investigating to see if there was a connection to the San Rafael robbery.

 

10/02/23 – The preliminary hearing for Officers Nail and Mazariegos began in Marin Municipal Court. The arrestee, Julio Lopez testified that he suffered a series of injuries as a result of the arrest. Officer Mazariegos also testified. The hearing will resume on 10/10/23.

 

10/04/23 – Officers arrested a man they said drove into a pedestrian at Bellam and Lisbon Street and left a 54-year-old in the street with major injuries.  Police obtained a description of the suspect vehicle, and the car was stopped in Novato. The driver, Eric Mendosa-Sierra, 32, of Vallejo, was arrested for felony hit and run.

 

10/11/23 – The preliminary hearing for SRPD Officers Brandon Nail and Daisy Mazariegos, which had been in progress for two days, was suddenly brought to a temporary halt, as the attorney for Mazariegos, Christopher Shea, died unexpectedly at his home in San Francisco.  In addition, Mazariegos had just given birth. The case was scheduled to continue when a new attorney for Mazariegos was approved by the court.

 

10/14/23 – Officers responded to a report of a traffic accident on Tamal Vista Drive.  Upon arrival, they found a 54-year-old male deceased at the scene.  Apparently, the male got into his car, which was facing uphill, when the car rolled down the hill, turning sideways and then overturned, throwing the male out of the car.  It was thought that he might have had a medical emergency just prior to the crash.

 

10/20/23 – SRPD was notified by Home Depot investigators that they had uncovered an embezzlement at the San Rafael store.  They reported that over a 15-month period, employee Letitia McAdoo, 42, of Richmond, had embezzled 1.2 million dollars from the store.  The investigation revealed that she had manipulated store records, directing payments to her.  When arrested at the store, it was discovered that McAdoo had $1,500 hidden in her bra.  A search of her car and house revealed thousands of dollars in cash and expensive clothing.  She was booked for embezzlement and burglary.

 

10/23/23 – The City Council interviewed 11 members of the community who had applied to serve on the newly formed Police Advisory Panel, which was created in the aftermath of the use of force arrest on Windward Way last year.  After the meeting, the council appointed 7 people to serve.  One of the appointees was former District Attorney Paula Kamena.  The other 6 members were from various organizations in the city.

 

10/24/23 – U.S. District Judge Edward Chen reviewed the injunction that prevented the City of San Rafael from enforcing its ordinance that restricted camping in the Mahon Creek area.  The court upheld the injunction; however they allowed the city to set up a registration process for campers in this area.  The new ordinance had originally limited the amount of space a camper could use and it restricted certain areas where the camp could be set up. The city must now register campers in the area and enlarge the area where they can live.

 

10/31/23 – SRPD officers set up at the Courthouse square for Halloween and handed out candy, treats and Halloween safety tips to children.  The event was called Halloween Trunk and Treat.

 

November:

11/04/23 – At 10:30 pm, reports started coming in regarding a building on fire near the Northgate Mall.  Officers responded and found a grass fire next to the building.  Witnesses reported that a man was seen bending over the grass area where the fire started.  Officers started a search and found a man down the street on Las Gallinas Avenue with his hands and feet covered in soot.  Booked for arson was Joshua Goebel, 41 of San Rafael.

 

11/12/23 – At 11:10 pm, SRPD dispatch received multiple calls of gunshots in the area of Novato Street and Kerner Blvd.  Upon arrival, officers found a male on Novato Street with a gunshot wound to his leg. Officers also located multiple shell casings in the area.  Witnesses reported that just prior to the shooting, a car drove by the victim and the occupants were yelling something gang related. The vehicle was not located.

 

11/12/23 – At 2:15 pm officers responded to Macys at the Northgate Mall regarding a violent shoplifter.  Officers learned that suspect Johnny Medina-Carrillo, 34, of San Rafael entered Macys and concealed clothing in his backpack and left without paying for the items.  Security workers intercepted him outside and he began fighting them.  The agents were able to hold the suspect until the police arrived.  Medina-Carrillo was arrested on two counts of robbery.

 

11/14/23 – At about 4:00 pm, SRPD received reports of a man attacking another man who was on a bicycle at Fourth and Tamalpais Avenue.  Witnesses reported that suspect Peter Creighton, 61, of San Rafael, approached the man on his bike and punched him, chased him, and knocked him off his bike and hit him with a pipe and attempted to take the bike.  Two witnesses pulled Creighton off the suspect, who then fled.  Officers found Creighton several blocks away and arrested him for robbery and assault.

 

11/15/23 – SRPD announced that they were awarded a $69,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety. The grant will support ongoing enforcement and education programs and help reduce the number of serious injuries and deaths on the roads.

 

11/20/23 – The City of San Rafael announced that B Street, which had been a one-way street since the 1960’s, was transferred back to a two-way street.

 

11/20/23 – At about 6:35 pm, officers received a report that a male with a knife, was threatening and trying to rob a male on Medway Road in the Canal District.  Additional reports indicated that the suspect had a very large kitchen knife that he was using to commit the robbery.  Officers arrived and obtained a description of the suspect and during a search of the area, the suspect was found on Francisco Blvd. still holding the knife. The suspect refused commands to stop and fled on foot.  During the foot chase, the suspect turned around and ran in between two officers, still holding the knife.  Officers used a taser on the suspect, stopping him.  Arrested for robbery and assault with a deadly weapon was Alonzo Taperia, a 21-year-old resident of San Rafael.

 

11/23/23 – At about 7:00 pm, SRPD Dispatch received a call from two people who reported that a man with a gun had robbed them at Fourth and Tamalpais Avenue.  Officers responded but did not locate the suspect at that time.  Later that night police observed a male walking on Francisco Blvd, who they knew was on probation and had a history of violent crimes.  They contacted him and the suspect reached for his waistband, however officers were able to cuff the suspect.  During a search they found an unloaded firearm in his pants leg.  While putting the suspect in a patrol vehicle, the suspect kicked an officer in the head causing minor injury.  Through video surveillance cameras, officers were able to connect the suspect to the earlier robbery.  Booked for a felon being in possession of a firearm and robbery and other charges was Maynorlaj-Sigunatay, 25, of San Rafael.

 

11/28/23 – At 5:15 am, officers found a man passed out in a car parked at Third and Lincoln Avenue. Officers contacted the subject and determined him to be under the influence of narcotics.  During a search, officers discovered methamphetamine, fentanyl, shaved car keys and burglar tools in the car.  Officers contacted the registered owner of the car and learned that the car had been stolen.  Officers booked Benjamine Bleazard, 34, of San Rafael for auto theft, drug charges and possession of burglar tools.

 

December:

12/02/23 – At 7:45 am, Officers responded to Andersen Drive where the SMART train crossing is regarding an accident involving a bicyclist and a car.  An investigation revealed that the bicyclist was traveling northbound on Andersen and when the rider got to the tracks, he fell and was run over by a pickup truck traveling southbound on the same street.  The victim was declared deceased at the scene.  The SRPD M.A.I.T. team was investigating with several other agencies.

 

12/05/23 – Closing arguments were set regarding the preliminary hearing for SRPD Officers Brandon Nail and Daisy Mazariegos, regarding their use of force arrest last year on Windward Way.  The defense put use of force expert Sean McCann on the stand.  He testified that the former officer’s use of force was not excessive and that it was consistent with industry standards.

 

12/06/23 – Closing arguments were completed in the preliminary hearing for SRPD Officers Brandon Nail and Daisy Mazariegos. The defense summed up their case by saying that there was not enough evidence to warrant the former officers being bound over to Superior Court.  Judge Beth Jordan said that she needed more time to make a decision. The next court date was set for 12/15/23.

 

12/07/23 – Lt. Todd Berringer was congratulated for completing the 288^th session of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

 

12/07/23 – SRPD welcomed three new officers to their ranks, who just graduated from the police academy.  They were Officers Delon, Gramajo-Mazariegos and Delzell, who were in basic law enforcement class 212.

 

12/09/23 – Police arrested a female for suspicion of sexually abusing a minor.  The suspect, Cecilia Alvarado-Ramos, 21, of San Rafael, met the minor through a friend and conducted a relationship with the minor for six months.  The parents of the minor found evidence of the crime on the minor’s phone and notified SRPD.  Alvarado-Ramos was booked for committing continuous sexual abuse of a child and lewd acts with a minor under 14 years of age.

 

12/09/23 – Officers were sent to the Northgate Mall regarding a male and female who were shoplifting at Kohl’s Department Store.  The two adults put stolen clothing on a child who was with them and then fled.  They were stopped by police and arrested.  During a search of the male, a 9 mm ghost gun was found on his person.  Booked for possession of a firearm by a felon and for parole violation was Jujuan Ojeda, 24 of San Rafael.  The female, Aevra Traylor, 39 of Sacramento was booked on warrants.  The 14-year-old child was turned over to a guardian.

 

12/13/23 – In reaction to a court order regarding the homeless encampment along Mahon Creek, the City of San Rafael announced that they were going to start a registration process for persons currently living there. The city created a map identifying 56 sites along the creek where camping will be permitted.  Residents protected under the court order, and who are already living on the site, will be allowed to register for a spot.  New residents will be blocked from moving in.

 

12/16/23 – Officers were summoned to a residence in Terra Linda, when the resident reported that someone was in their garage.  Officers responded, but the suspect had already fled the scene.  The homeowner showed officers video surveillance photos of the suspect and officers located the female suspect a short distance away. They learned that the suspect had removed a garage door opener from the victim’s car that was parked outside the residence and used it to enter the garage.  The suspect was booked for burglary and violation of parole.

 

12/17/23 – After a multiday preliminary hearing for former SRPD Officers Brandon Nail and Daisy Mazariegos, Superior Court Judge Beth Jordan bound both defendants over for trial in superior court.  Both were charged with assault under color of authority and other crimes when they arrested Julio Jimenez on Windward Way in 2022 for drinking in public. The contact went physical with Jiminez reporting that he had been assaulted by the officers.  Judge Jordan set the next court date for 12/26/23.

 

12/19/23 – A business in the 1100 block of Fourth Street called the police at 10:55 am to report that a man entered the business and was throwing chairs around and chasing people.  Officers responded with the SAFE team and moved the person along as the store owner did not want to press charges.  A short time later, the suspect returned and threatened to kill an employee.  The police were called again, and they contacted the male and booked him for making criminal threats.

 

12/22/23 – In February of 2023, there was a carjacking that occurred on Market Street.  During the carjacking, the victim scratched the suspect’s face, who fled and was not located.  Officers took swabs from the victim’s fingernails and sent it to DOJ for DNA processing.  DOJ recently notified SRPD that they got a DNA match on a person who was currently in custody on an unrelated charge.  Investigators are following up.

 

12/23/23 – An officer going to a domestic violence call was driving on Fifth Avenue at Irwin Street, when a driver ran the red light and struck the patrol car, that was entering the intersection with lights and siren on a green light.  The officer received minor injuries and the driver of the other vehicle was not injured.

 

12/26/23 – Former SRPD Officers Brandon Nail and Daisy Mazariegos appeared in Marin Superior Court after being bound over for trial for their use of force arrest incident on Windward Way in 2022. Both former officers plead not guilty to charges of assault under color of authority and other charges.  The case will now be handled by Judge Kevin Murphy, a former Alameda County Superior Court Judge, who was appointed this month by Governor Gavin Newsom, to fill a vacancy in the Marin County Superior Court.

 

12/28/23 – Sausalito Police Chief John Rohrbacher retired from his position as Chief of Police for the City of Sausalito.  Rohrbacher was hired in 2009 by Sausalito as a Captain. He previously worked for the San Rafael Police Department for 25 years, including 15 months as Chief of Police. In 2006 he left SRPD and worked as an investigator with the Marin County District Attorney’s Office and then went to Sausalito.

 

Homicides:

There was one homicide reported in San Rafael in 2023.  There was one reported homicide in San Rafael in 2022. In addition to the San Rafael homicide this year, there was one additional homicide in Marin County in 2023. The additional homicide occurred in Novato in July, 2023.

09/05/23 – During the month of August, Oakland P.D. arrested Amadi Monroe, 34 of Oakland, for the murder of a female who he had been stalking in Oakland.  During his interview after his arrest, on 08/11/23, Monroe admitted that he shot and killed Brenda Diaz, 30 of San Rafael, while they were in her car in the Target parking lot in San Rafael.  Monroe said that after he shot Diaz, he drove to Oakland with her body still in the car and then killed Jerald Clark in Oakland. Diaz’s body was found in the car in Oakland.  He was booked for the Oakland homicide and investigators were still working to determine where exactly Diaz was killed.

 

In Memoriam:

01/24/23 – Retired San Rafael Fire Department Battalion Chief Paul Crimmins died of Occupational Cancer on this date.  This type of cancel is the leading cause of firefighter deaths according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.  A memorial service was held for Crimmins at the Marinwood Community Center.  San Rafael Fire Chief Darin White said, “As we honor his family, we want to be sure to acknowledge Chief Crimmins for his sacrifice and immense impact he had on those he worked with.”  Chief Crimmins was 61 years old.

02/02/23 – Long time Assistant Marin County Coroner Gary Tindel passed away suddenly at home with his wife at his side.  Gary was a former Yuba County Sheriff and enjoyed a 45-year career in law enforcement. He worked for 12 years under Marin County Coroner Ken Holmes. Gary Tindel was 75 years old.

02/23/23 – Retired Marin County Sheriff’s Deputy Thomas Odetto passed away this month.  He served in law enforcement for 25 years, having served as a Fairfax Police Officer and a Marin County Sheriff’s Deputy.  His younger brother, Matt Odetto served as police chief for Tiburon and San Rafael.  Thomas Odetto was 70 years old.

02/28/23 – Retired SRPD Records Specialist Nellie Woodard passed away after an illness. She served in the department from 1980 to 2005.  She was always willing to help anyone in the office and was a dear friend of many.

03/01/23 – Retired Marin County Sheriff’s Deputy Bob Love passed away in February.  He was described as a gentle giant who was well liked in the department.

03/08/23 – James Joseph McDermott Jr., a member of the Marin County Sheriff’s Posse from 1991 to 1999, passed away after an illness.  At the age of 21, a friend gave Jim his first horse.  He knew nothing about horses, but he learned about them and acquired more horses, moving them to a stable in Fairfax.  While with the Sheriff’s Office, Tom responded with his horse to many search and rescue calls.  James McDermott was 71 years old.

04/07/23 – Marin County District Attorney Subpoena Specialist Laurie Soderstrom passed away at her home in Novato.  After graduating from San Marin High School, Laurie earned her B.A. Degree from Sonoma State and worked for several companies including Fireman’s Fund and Motorola.  At the time of her death, she was working for the District Attorney’s Office.  Laurie Soderstrom was 51 years old.

04/07/23 – Harriett Castellani passed due to natural causes.  Harriett grew up in Marin, attending Tamalpais High School.  She worked for the phone company and then was hired by San Quentin State Prison where she worked as a records clerk. In 1949 she married Louis Castellani, who was a volunteer with SRPD.  Harriett Castellani was 95 years old.

04/11/23 – Marin Superior Court Judge John Sutro passed away after a long illness.  He was a graduate of Standford University and Harward Law School. After completing his education, Sutro served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Sutro started his legal career working for his father’s law firm in San Francisco.  After 32 years of practice, he served as a Marin Superior Court Judge for 17 years.  Called “Gentleman Jack” by lawyers who worked with him, he did all he could to make sure people were treated fairly in his courtroom.  The Honorable John Sutro was 86 years old.

04/15/23 – Legendary Marin Prosecutor Josh Thomas passed away of cancer.  He was a well-respected prosecutor who handled many complex murder cases during his career, such as the Marlene Olive case and the Pricilla Phillips case.  He is survived by his wife Dorothy, whose marriage lasted over 70 years and four grown daughters and several grandchildren. Josh Thomas was 92 years old.

05/05/23 – Retired Belvedere Police Officer Ralph Cless passed away at his home in the Pacific Northwest. Cless was born in San Francisco and raised in Marin, graduating from Marin Catholic and the University of San Francisco.  After graduating from college, Ralph entered the U.S. Army and served as a Green Beret in Special Forces, serving two tours in Vietnam, attaining the rank of Captain.  After his military service, Ray joined the Belvedere Police Department where he served for 15 years.  While working there, he met Katelin Stuart, who was a civilian employee for the Tiburon Police Dept.  After retirement, they moved to the Russian River area, and then to the Pacific Northwest.  Kate passed on 4/3/21 and Ralph joined her two years later.  Kate was 71 years old, and Ralph was 78 years old.

05/17/23 – The Honorable William Stephens, a Marin Superior Court Judge and the first Black judge in Marin County, died at Marin General Hospital of Pulmonary Fibrosis.  Judge Stephens graduated from San Jose State University and the Hastings College of Law.  He began his career as a public defender in Contra Costa County. Stephens was appointed to the Marin Municipal Court by Governor Jerry Brown in 1979. He later became a Superior Court judge.  Stephens was known for having kindness and wisdom on the bench and it was known that people would get a fair trial in his court.  The Honorable Judge Stephens was 88 years old.

05/22/23 – Betty Flertzheim, a volunteer for the Marin County Sheriff ‘s Office, passed away on this date. Betty grew up on the east coast and moved to Marin in 1974. She was active in the community and volunteered in several schools as well as the Sheriff’s Office.  Betty Flertzheim was 95 years old.

06/02/23 – Former San Anselmo Police Officer Kenneth Marshall passed on this date.  Born and raised in Marin, Marshall began his career with the San Anselmo Police Department. Later he transitioned to become a firefighter with the Ross Valley Fire Department.  Marshall was a skilled builder, who constructed many homes in Marin.  One of his most cherished projects was when he purchased the Rancho Nicasio in 1989 where he revived the historic building.  Kenneth Marshall was 85 years old.

06/11/23 – Perry Litchfield, the son of Bermuda Palms owner Whitey Litchfield, passed after a long illness.  Perry was responsible for refurbishing the Litchfield sign that to this day sits on top of the old Bermuda Palms Motel. He was 67 years old.

06/24/23 – The Honorable Beverly Savitt, a retired Marin County Superior Court Judge, died at her home in Belvedere.  Savitt grew up in Pittsburg, PA and after graduating, she moved to Washington D.C. where her lifelong interest in politics began.  Savitt moved to Marin and attended the University of Berkeley School of Law, graduating in 1967. In 1970 she went to work practicing family law in Marin. She was appointed to the bench in 1983 by Gov. Jerry Brown, becoming the first woman Superior Court Judge in Marin. Savitt retired from the bench in 1995.  Judge Beverly Savitt was 97 years old.

06/25/23 – Former San Rafael Police Officer Thomas Crank passed away after suffering multiple ischemic strokes. He was surrounded by his family and was comfortable in his final days.  Tom graduated from Sacramento State in 1973 with a degree in law enforcement.  He started his career when he was hired as a dispatcher by the Marin County Sheriff’s Office. He then was hired by the San Rafael Police Department where he worked from 1975 to 1979, working in patrol and as a SWAT officer.  He then transferred to the Santa Rosa Police Department where he served as a traffic officer, detective, FTO and was on the SWAT Team.  Tom is survived by his wife Laurie and three children.  Tom Crank was 73 years old.

07/29/23 – The honorable Vernon F. Smith, a retired Marin County Superior Court judge, passed away at his home after a short illness.  Smith grew up in the Sleepy Hollow area of Marin and obtained his college degree and law degree at the University of San Francisco in 1968.  After passing the bar, Smith started his legal career working as a Marin County Deputy District Attorney for five years.  Smith then joined a private law firm working as a defense attorney.  In 1982 he was appointed as a Marin County Court Commissioner, a position he held until he was elected judge to the municipal court in 1987. He was then elected as a Superior Court Judge and remained in that position until he retired in 2007.  Smith was known as a kind and competent judge.  Judge Smith was 79 years old.

08/31/23 – Pamila Castillo, wife of SRPD retired Corporal Fred Castillo, passed after a long illness. Pamela graduated from Dominican University where she earned a B.A. degree in History.  As a college senior, Pam met Fred at Zack’s bar in Sausalito.  The couple married in 1968 and moved to Novato. They were married for 54 years.  Pamela worked in the Sonoma County Library system for many years.  Pamela Castillo was 77 years old.

09/10/23 – Retired Marin County Sheriff’s deputy James Pack passed away on this date.  He was described as a great deputy to work with.  He was 76 years old.

09/27/23 – Former Marin County Deputy District Attorney Girard Corteau passed away at his home in Santa Rosa after a short illness.  Corteau graduated from Marin Catholic High School and received his B.A. Degree from U.C. Berkeley.  In 1970 he obtained his law degree from The Hasting College of the Law.  Corteau started his law career by working as a Deputy D.A. in Monterey County for one year.  He then transferred to Marin County where he worked for 29 years as a Deputy D.A. working in Consumer Fraud. Jerry enjoyed writing, traveling, attending car shows and spending time with his family and friends.  Jerry Courteau was 81 years old.

10/03/23 – Former Marin County Deputy District Attorney Christopher Shea passed away suddenly at his home in San Francisco.  Chris attended St. Ignatius High School and then graduated from U.C. Berkeley in 1990.  After some traveling, Chris attended UCSF where he earned his law degree in 1995.  After passing the Bar, Chris went to work at the Marin County District Attorney’s Office as a Deputy D.A.  He worked there until 2007 when he opened his own criminal defense practice in San Francisco.  At the time of his death, Chris was defending SRPD Officer Daisy Mazariegos in a use of force incident where she had been charged for assault. Chris Shea was 57 years old.

10/09/23 – Former San Rafael Police Officer Jesse Wiles passed away at his home in Healdsburg after being in Hospice care for several weeks.  After serving in the USAF, Jesse was hired as a dispatcher in 1968.  He was then hired as an officer.  He rode motors and was a detective.  He also was on the pistol team where he was an excellent marksman.

12/01/23 – Recently retired Novato Police Corporal Nick Zolli passed away unexpectedly.  Zolli served the Novato community for 16 years as an officer, corporal, FTO, Peer Support team member and Mental Health Laison.  In 2019 Nick received the Medal of Merit award after talking a suicidal person off an overpass. Nick leaves behind Marcia, who he shared his life with for 23 years.

12/06/23 – Retired Marin County Sheriff’s Deputy Glenn Godfrey passed away at his home in Sonoma County.  He worked for many years for the MCSO on the street and in the jail.  He always had a good attitude and was a pleasure to talk to.

12/20/23 – Former SRPD cadet and reserve officer Frank Riggs died at his home in Arizona, from complications associated with heart surgery, where he had been living since 2001.  Riggs started his law enforcement career in 1972 at SRPD and was then hired as a deputy for the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office.  In 1990 Frank ran against and defeated Doug Bosco, who had held a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives for six terms.  In 1998, Riggs decided not to seek a fourth term in the House, and he left office, moving to Arizona. The people closest to him said that he was a proud American and a family man who sought elected office not to feed his ego, but to help people.  Frank Riggs was 73 years old.

12/27/23 – Former Twin Cities Police Officer Gary Driscoll died at his home in Nevada City of cancer.  He started his law enforcement career with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office in 1969.  In 1972 he transferred to the Larkspur Police Department prior to the merger with the Corte Madera Police Department that took place in 1980.  In 1981 he served for several years on the Marin County Drug Task Force.  In 1989 Gary moved with his wife and two children to Nevada City where he lived until his death.  He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Karen and his two daughters Meghan and Kaitlin.  Gary Driscoll was 80 years old.

 

High Profile Criminals Who Have Departed:

06/10/23 – Theodore “Ted” Kaczynski, a Harvard educated mathematician, who lived in a dingy shack in Montana, died at the federal prison medical center in Butner, North Carolina, when he was found unresponsive in his cell.  Kaczynski ran a 17-year bombing campaign that killed three people and injured 23 others. Branded the “Unabomber” by the FBI, Kacynski was serving four life sentences plus 30 years for running a campaign of terror that set universities nationwide on edge. He admitted to committing 16 bombings from 1978 to 1995 by mailing packages with explosives in them to certain people across the nation. In 1993, Kaczynski mailed a bomb to the residence of Dr. Charles Epstein in Tiburon, Ca.  When Epstein opened the package in his kitchen, it exploded, severely injuring him. Kaczynski forced the Washington Post to publish his 35,000-word manifesto, “Industrial Society and its Future” which claimed that modern society and technology were leading to a sense of powerlessness. The published manifesto led to Kaczynski’s undoing, as his brother recognized the writing and contacted the FBI, which had been hunting for the “Unabomber” for years, the nation’s longest and costliness manhunt.  Ted Kaczynski was 81 years old.

07/16/23 – Kevin Mitnick, the most celebrated U.S. hacker died at his home in Las Vegas after a 14-month battle with pancreatic cancer.  In the 1980s and 1990s, Mitnick tricked employees into stealing services from big phone and tech companies.  The government accused him of causing millions of dollars in damage to companies such as Motorola, Novel and Sun Microsystems by stealing software and altering computer codes. In 1995, Mitnick was arrested and spent nearly five years in prison. After his release in 2000, Mitnick told reporters his, “were simple crimes of trespass.” He said that he wanted to know how phone systems worked.  Kevin Mitnick was 59 years old.

09/08/23 – A former police officer who was on death row at San Quentin for six murders in the 1980’s died of natural causes.  Anthony Sully was found deceased in his room at a medical facility that was located outside the prison walls.  Sully was sentenced to death on June 3^rd, 1986, for the murders of 24-year-old Kathryn Barrett; 22-year-old Barbara Searcy; 24-year-old Gloria Fravel; 19-year-old Brendon Oakden; 24-year-old Michael Thomas and 20 year old Phyllis Melendez.  The victims were beaten, stabbed, and shot in an electrical supply warehouse in Burlingame. Three of the victims were found in Golden Gate Park stuffed in barrels. Sully was a police officer on the peninsula from 1966 to 1974.  At his sentencing, Sully complained that he did not get a fair trial, telling the judge, “I am not a monster.”  Anthony Sully was 79 years old.

12/25/23 – Stephen Redd, a former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy, was found deceased in his cell on Death Row at San Quentin State Prison.  Redd was hired as a deputy in 1967 and resigned in 1973 and turned to a life of crime.  In 1982 he robbed a La Habra bank and during his escape he wounded a police officer.  He served 10 years in prison and was released.  On July 18, 1994, Redd robbed an Alpha Beta store in Yorba Linda.  When a co-worker in the store tried to help another employee, Redd shot and killed the employee. He fled with $156 in cash from the heist.  A year later Redd was located and arrested by a U.S. Park Police Detective in San Francisco.  At the time of the arrest, police found semi-automatic weapons, grenades, and other munitions in the trunk of his car. He was convicted of first-degree murder and sent to San Quentin.  Stephen Redd was 78 years old.

 

End of Report

Prepared by Harry Barbier, SRPD #156

Copyright 2024 Harry Barbier