San Rafael Police Department Year in Review for 2021

 SAN RAFAEL POLICE DEPARTMENT

The Year in Review for 2021

January:

01/01/21 – Officers started the year investigating five bank robberies that took place in Marin and Sonoma Counties. The suspect was described as being in his 30’s to 40’s.  The robber was wearing a Raider’s hat and a black jacket. The suspect hit banks in Novato and then on the same day he hit one in Greenbrae. Several days later he hit the Wells Fargo Bank on Las Gallinas Avenue in San Rafael. He is also suspected of hitting banks in Santa Rosa and Rohnert Park.  No weapon was seen.

01/05/21 – Police arrested a suspect in robberies that took place in Novato and San Rafael.  On 12/19/20, the suspect hit a Shell station in Novato and Circle K in San Rafael.  Arrested for robbery was Elliott Malone, 30 of Petaluma.  An investigation revealed that he had an accomplice.  Also booked was Randy Severdia, 49, of Novato.

01/05/21 – A resident called SRPD to report that there was activity in a vacant house. The citizen observed a vehicle arrive at the house and two males went into the residence. Night shift officers arrived as the suspects were leaving with stolen property. One suspect tried to run but was quickly apprehended.  The second suspect was also taken into custody. Both were booked at Marin County Jail on multiple charges.

01/06/21 – Police arrested a group of teens that participated in a robbery at the 7-11 Store on Medway Road.  Two suspects threatened the clerk with guns and took cash.  They fled in a stolen car driven by a third suspect.  On 12/09/20, the group was suspected of robbing a store in San Jose where one of the robbery victims was shot and killed by one of the suspects.  The day after the shooting, San Jose P.D. officers located the suspects in Richmond and arrested them.  All of the suspects were minors.

01/20/21 – Various agencies went to the underpass area on Second Street and evicted about 20 homeless people who had been living there.  The evection took place as Caltrans was preparing to rebuild the offramp and they needed the area cleared. They had been served notice by the CHP that they were going to have to move.

01/23/21 – Officers responded to a reported shooting in the area of Canal and Novato Street.  Upon arrival, they found a man with a gunshot to the chest, which appeared to be non-life threatening. The victim said a man walked up to him and shot him.  The suspect fled in a car driven by a female. An investigation resulted in the arrest of Daisy Rodriguez, 24 years of San Rafael, who was the driver of the car.  She was booked for attempted murder and assault with a firearm and participating in a street gang. On 02/01/21, police arrested the shooter who was identified as Jose DeLa-Cruz, 22 years of Richmond.  A total of four suspects were book for the shooting.  It was reported that the victim was paralyzed as a result of the shooting.

01/25/21 – The Marin County Employees Retirement Association announced the results of a review they performed of pensions for nine agencies in the county. The board decided to cut the fund’s return from 7% to 6.75%. Other factors that were considered was inflation, among other things. This means that the employer and employees will have to pay more into the fund in July.

 February:

02/04/21 - Capt. David Starnes was appointed Acting Police Chief, while the city searched for a long-term hire. Starnes was to stay in this position until his retirement at the end of March.

02/04/21 – Officers responded to the Cardenas Market regarding a reported disturbance. Upon arrival, they located a victim, who reported that a man had threatened him with a knife and vandalized his car. The suspect fled but was apprehended a few days later.  Booked for making threats and vandalism was Jesse Rojas, 25 years of San Rafael.

02/11/21 – After a nationwide search, the City of San Rafael hired David Spiller as their Police Chief. Spiller recently retired as chief of Pleasanton and was currently interim police chief for Menlo Park. He replaced Chief Diana Bishop, who retired at the end of 2020. Spiller became San Rafael’s seventeenth police chief.

02/15/21 – SRPD reported a large increase in catalytic converter thefts. The items have precious metals in them and sell for a good price.  SRPD reported that in 2018 there were nine thefts, and that number jumped to 33 in 2019 and to 143 in 2020. So far this year there have been 32 thefts reported.

02/16/21 – In October of 2020, officers cited five people for tearing down the Junipero Serra statue in front of St. Raphael’s Church during a demonstration. The Marin D.A.s office filed charges against the suspects. A group of activists started a petition demanding that the Marin D.A. drop all charges. The group, known as Decolonizers Defense, was advocating for the defendants. They started an on-line petition that collected nearly 75,000 signatures. The case continues to go through the legal system.

02/18/21 – Due to many bicycle thefts in town, officers from the Special Operations Unit conducted a “Bait Bike” investigation. One suspect was observed cutting the lock to a planted bike, while a female was waiting in a nearby vehicle.  Officers contacted both suspects and arrested them. Both suspects were booked for the theft and warrants.

02/19/21 – Officers responded to the Point San Pedro Road neighborhood in response to an 11-year-old boy who reported that he had been accosted by an adult. Officers conducted an investigation and learned that the young man was ringing doorbells in the neighborhood and then running away.  However, one resident chased after the boy after the young man rang his doorbell. The male adult caught up with the boy, threatened him and put him in his car. He then dropped the boy off on Loch Lomond Drive. Officers located the adult suspect and arrested 63-year-old Dean Taylor, a retired SFPD Officer. He was booked for kidnapping and making a death threat.

02/27/21 – The Marin Emergency Radio Authority selected a contractor to begin the first phase of construction on a 74-million-dollar project that is to revamp the countywide radio system used by first responders.  The work was scheduled to start in April of 2021. Project Manager Dave Jeffries reported that this phase will involve upgrading several radio sites in the county. The current radio system went operational in 2004.

March:

03/07/21 – An apartment manager on San Pablo Avenue, reported that two subjects entered the mailroom and took a large amount of mail. A video surveillance camera captured an image of the two suspects. The image was sent to law enforcement agencies and the two suspects were identified as Emily Cote, 30, and Kevin Mercure 31. Officers served a search warrant at their hotel room in Novato and recovered a large amount of mail from hundreds of people across several states. Both suspects were booked on a variety of charges.

03/11/21 – Sgt. Wanda Spaletta retired from SRPD after 30 years of service. She was the first female corporal and sergeant in the department.

03/12/21 - A business owner on Francisco Blvd. reported that someone stole his catering van from his business. Officers contacted the owner who stated that the vehicle had a tracking device and upon checking the program, they located the truck in the downtown district with a female driving it. Officers contacted the driver, Patricia Friley, 31, who was booked for vehicle theft, burglary and violating probation.

03/13/21 – A security guard at Kaiser Hospital in Terra Linda reported vandalism to her car while it was parked overnight in the hospital lot. The car had all four tires slashed, there was glue placed in the door lock, a window was smashed, and glue was poured into the car.  Inside the car was chopped up pork and bacon. The victim, who is Muslin, suggested that it was a hate crime. The victim had made complaints against some of her co-workers. The investigation was on going.

03/27/21 – Retired Police Lieutenant Ralph Pata, was selected as the Police Chief of the town of Ross. He replaced Erik Masterson, who was also a Lieutenant with SRPD and who retired as the Ross Chief.

April:

04/01/21 – Capt. David Starnes retired after serving with SRPD for 32 years. After serving in the Marine Corps, Dave joined SRPD in 1988 and held multiple assignments during his career. He ended his career as the Interim Chief, having been appointed to that position on Jan. 1, 2021.

04/06/21 – At 3:30 am, officers responded to a report of a disturbance in an apartment on Fourth Street. Upon arrival, officers found a victim with a one inch cut to his hand. He stated that two neighbors were arguing over money, and he was trying to mediate the conflict. At some point, the victim stated that suspect Christian Giron, 28 years, cut him on the hand with a knife. When officers attempted to arrest Giron, he kicked one officer to the ground and kicked at other officers. He was booked for assault with a deadly weapon and assault on a police officer. The victim was taken to the hospital.

04/19/21 – A San Rafael man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after attacking his roommate and her 12-year-old daughter with an axe. Officers responded to a report of a disturbance in an apartment on Canal Street. Upon arrival, they found the 12-year-old with facial cuts to her right arm and abdomen.  She was flown to Children’s Hospital in Oakland for surgery. The mother was taken to Marin General for stab wounds and cuts to her upper body, including her hand as she attempted to shield her daughter from the attack.  The weapon, a two-foot axe, was taken as evidence. Booked for attempted murder and other counts was Ermidio Diaz, 63 years old.

04/22/21 – SRPD received a report from a state parole agent, that a sex offender who he was supervising, had entered the San Rafael High School grounds. The agent had been tracking the suspect’s GPS monitor and saw that he was on the campus. The suspect, Willie Jesse Jones, 41 of San Rafael, was located at the Montecito Shopping Center by officers. A female shopper reported that Jones exposed himself to her at the center. When officers attempted to contact Jones, he ran through the San Rafael High campus and into the Belle Avenue area. Jones entered a home and was located in a workshop where he was arrested. An investigation revealed that while at the school, Jones went to a cheerleader practice, offered to help set up some mats and then inappropriately touched a female student. Jones was booked for indecent exposure and sexual battery and violating parole, among other charges.

May:

05/05/21 – SRPD received a report that two homes in the city were being used for potential human trafficking. One home was on Valencia Avenue and the other on Hammondale Court. An investigation was completed and the suspect, Mario Perez-Gomez, 47, was charged with human trafficking, pandering and pimping and other charges.

05/10/21 – At 10:00 pm a man entered the Safeway store on B Street without a mask and he was being disruptive. A security guard asked the man to leave and he challenged the guard to fight.  The suspect then struck the guard in the head with a 12-inch tree branch, causing injury. Steven Anthony Ramirez, 59, of San Rafael was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.

05/14/21 – SRPD announced that they purchased five hybrid vehicles for the patrol fleet. Once the vehicles are in service, nearly half of the fleet will be equipped with such vehicles.  It was reported that the city will save about 30 percent in fuel costs.

05/18/21 – At 8:00 am SRPD dispatch received a call of a traffic accident at Fourth and G Street.  Upon arrival, they located a box truck at the intersection and a female down. Paramedics were called and upon arrival, they found the victim to be in “cardiopulmonary arrest.” And resuscitation efforts failed. Officers determined that the truck was making a turn at the intersection and the driver did not see the female crossing the street.  The victim was identified as Elida Rodriguez, 73, of San Rafael.

05/30/21 – SRPD received calls of a man down at Fifth and Hetherton. Upon arrival, they found a 73-year-old man who was bleeding. Medics were called and they transported the man to the hospital with life threatening injuries where he was placed in intensive care. Officers checked surveillance footage from nearby cameras, and they were able to identify the male who assaulted the victim.  Several days later officers located and arrested Francisco Camey, 23 years. He was booked for assault, mayhem and elder abuse.  A motive was not determined.

June:

06/07/21 – Officers responded to Andy’s Market in Loch Lomond regarding a disturbance that was going on in the store. Witnesses reported that a woman entered the store, threw items, broke glass, struck an employee with a bottle of alcohol and punched him. The woman left the store briefly but returned with a hammer to attack the same employee. As officers arrived, the woman fled into several yards and then jumped in the bay and started swimming in the direction of the West Marin Island.  Officers dispatched a PD boat and a CHP helicopter to the island where they located the suspect and took her into custody. Julianne Riebeling, 51, was booked for assault with a deadly weapon, robbery and resisting arrest.

06/08/21 – Several hundred anti-vaccination protesters disrupted a community meeting at the B Street Recreation Center put on by U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman. He was planning to talk about federal funding for infrastructure, but many of the protesters entered the building to protest the mask mandate. SRPD officers were called to the location, and they monitored the event, while Huffman spoke for 90 minutes amid jeers from the protesters.  No arrests were made.

06/13/21 – The City of San Rafael and Novato contributed funds to help with an influx of homeless in their respective cities. Federal funds were also going to be made available for the project.  The funds will help get shelter for a homeless camp under the viaduct in San Rafael and a camp at Novato’s Lee Gerner Park.

06/29/21 – The City of San Rafael approved wage increases for SRPD employees. The contract was for three years with a 3.5% increase the first year and a 4% increase for each of the final two years.

July:

07/17/21 – The San Rafael Police Department held a traffic education course for the public. Attendees met at the Public Safety Building for some basic information, and they went out on the street to see how police radar/Lidar worked.

07/02/21 – SRPD conducted a DUI checkpoint at Lincoln and Grand Avenue over the Fourth of July weekend. Officers screened 650 vehicles, two drivers were arrested for DUI and a third was cited for driving with a suspended license.

07/07/21 – SRPD, with the assistance of Caltrans and the CHP, moved a large homeless camp from under the freeway at Third Street. Residents were given notice to move, or their items would be confiscated and held for 90 days. The group was moved to a new city approved site under the overpass, between Fifth Avenue and Mission Avenue. Residents would have security, restrooms, garbage disposal and service referrals.

07/09/21 – The San Rafael City Council voted to ban camping in some areas because of a fire risk. The ban prohibited camping in Boyd Park and city parking garages. The vote took place the same day that a new authorized homeless camp was set up under the freeway overpass between Fifth Avenue and Mission Avenue.

07/22/21 – At 11:00 am, Officers responded to a report of shots fired in the area of Novato Street.  Upon arrival, officers found a male victim in the street with a gunshot wound to his back. Witnesses reported an altercation between the suspect and the victim just prior to the shooting. Officers located a suspect in an apartment several hours later and he was arrested. An investigation produced three suspects who were involved in the case.  Arrested for attempted murder were Edwin Rodriguez, 22, and Yordan Acevedo, 18.  Also arrested was Ivan Pinzon, 35, for concealing a felon and for an outstanding warrant.

07/22/21 – SRPD officers made back-to-back drug arrests within 30 minutes.  In the first case, Officer Scalercio arrested a person who had about 20 grams of meth and a scale for sales.  In the second case, Officer Finerty arrested a person who had about 62 grams of meth and fentanyl for the purpose of sales.

07/25/21 – At about 3:30 in the morning, officers responded to a report of a subject brandishing a weapon and who had pistol whipped a victim.  Officers detained a suspect and during that time they observed the suspect dump a black polymer ghost gun, similar to a Glock 19, by a parked vehicle. The pistol was loaded and had no serial number.  The suspect was booked on a variety of weapons charges.

August:

08/02/21 – K-9 Officer Brickell conducted a traffic enforcement stop. The occupants of the vehicle consented to a search after admitting to having cannabis inside. During a search of the vehicle, Officer Brickell located several bags of psilocybin mushrooms totaling 68.4 grams and two containers of concentrated cannabis totaling 63.8 grams. Citations were issued and the contraband was seized.

08/03/21 – SRPD participated in 38^th Annual National Night Out by having officers visit neighborhoods throughout the city for a night of fun and connecting with the community.

08/03/21 – SRPD responded to Burger King in the Canal District after an employee reported a customer in the drive-thru threatened him with a handgun.  The suspect became upset with the length of the line and the fact that the employee told her to, “Hang on.”  The suspect spray-painted on the menu sign and when she rolled up to the window and received her order, she looked in the bag and was upset about something missing.  She then pointed a handgun at the employee and told him that she would shoot him the next time her order was wrong.  The suspect vehicle fled, however officers found it later in the evening and arrested the woman occupant.  Inside the car a loaded 9mm handgun with no serial number was located. She was booked for eight felonies and nine misdemeanors and two outstanding warrants.

08/08/21 – At 4:00 am officers responded to a report of a person down in the street in the area of Merrydale Road and N. San Pedro Road.  Upon arrival, they found a deceased male in the roadway.  Police checked nearby surveillance cameras and determined that the victim was struck by a car.  The suspect vehicle was not located.  The victim was identified as Douglas Mejia-Vicente, 43, of San Rafael.  The investigation is continuing.

08/13/21 – SRPD received a report of a body in the water in the canal behind the Montecito Shopping Center.  The body was recovered, and the victim was identified as Wendell Potter, 53, of San Rafael.  The coroner reported no signs of obvious trauma.

08/14/21 – Officers responded to a juvenile party on Prospect Drive on a report of an injured person.  Upon arrival, officers found a 16-year-old boy who had been stabbed in the neck and twice in the back.  Officers conducted an investigation and located the responsible person, who was a juvenile.  The injury was apparently the result of a fight that took place at the party. The suspect was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon.

08/17/21 – Chief Spiller presided over a promotion ceremony recognizing those officers who advanced in rank during the year.  They were Lt. Leon to Captain, Sgt. Berringer to Lieutenant, Corporal Delzell to Sergeant, Corporal Cordero to Sergeant, Officer O’Con to Corporal and Officer Wilkinson to Corporal. Also welcomed was Officer Jennifer Gamble, who was recently hired.

08/22/21 – Officers responded to Merrydale Road regarding a male brandishing a firearm and pointing it at a victim.  The suspect fled prior to the officer’s arrival; however officers were able to identify the suspect.  The next day, the suspect returned to the apartment complex and officers contacted him.  The suspect fled on foot and was observed throwing an object in the bushes.  He was caught and arrested.  The weapon was recovered, and it was determined to be an Apache Flare gun.

September:

09/02/21 – Daniel James Rodriguez, 19 years, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the shooting death of Errol Friedman in 2018.  Friedman, 21, was found dead in a car at Pickleweed Park.

09/02/21 – Officer Finerty received the CHP 10851 Award for his work in recovering stolen vehicles.  He recovered nine unoccupied stolen vehicles and three occupied stolen vehicles in a 12-month period.

09/03/21 – SRPD received a report of a stolen dog in the downtown area.  The dog, Wolfie, was stolen while waiting for its owner in front of a store.  Officers conducted a search for the dog with negative results. The next day a MCSO Deputy reported that he found the dog and Wolfie was returned to its owner.

09/07/21 – Officers responded to a report of a man with a knife who was carving into a light pole in front of the Soup Kitchen on B Street.  When a passerby asked the suspect to stop, the suspect brandished the knife at him.  Officers arrived in short order, and they arrested Freddy Velasquez, 31, of San Rafael on an outstanding warrant and for possession of a dagger.

09/07/21 – Officers were called to B Street and Julia Street at 5:15 am regarding a disturbance.  A female reported that she observed a male illegally park on Julia Street and she asked him to move his car.  The suspect responded by attacking the woman with a skateboard.  The woman then sprayed the suspect with Pepper Spray. The suspect went to his car and retrieved a flare gun and fired it in the direction of the woman.  Officers located the suspect a short time later and arrested him.  Booked for assault with a deadly weapon was Joshua Lefwowitz, 32, of San Francisco.

09/12/21 – On the afternoon of 09/12/21, a group of “pro-recall” supporters for the governor, were on the Coleman overcrossing hanging signs on the chain-link fence for traffic on Highway 101 to see. A White male, 25 to 30 years was driving by, and he parked his pickup truck at Coleman School and walked up onto the overpass.  He started to cut the banners down with a knife when one of the supporters tried to stop him.  The suspect then assaulted the victim, knocking him to the ground, causing him to be taken to the hospital.  The suspect fled prior to arrival of officers and was not located.

09/16/21 – The police department was authorized by the city to purchase six hybrid Toyota Highlanders to replace cars in their unmarked fleet.  The total cost was to be about $282,000.

09/17/21 – SRPD Officer Phillip Melodia retired from the department after 22 years of service.  He most recently worked as a detective. Best of luck to Phil.

October:

10/02/21 – For the second time this year, a man was arrested for threatening to kill a 14-year-old juvenile after the juvenile rang his doorbell and ran. A group of teens were ringing doorbells in the area of Wisteria Way in Terra Linda.  When they rang the doorbell of resident John Mahoney, 52, they ran, however one of the boys tripped and fell and Mahoney grabbed the juvenile and walked him back to his residence while threatening to kill him. A group of neighbors heard the commotion and intervened.  Officers arrived on the scene and booked Mahoney for kidnapping, battery and making criminal threats.

10/12/21 – SRPD reported that it received a traffic grant totaling $105,000 for DUI checkpoints and other traffic related programs.

10/13/21 – Officers Nail and DeBolt conducted a traffic stop on a Dodge Charger for multiple vehicle code violations.  K-9 Officer Brickell was summoned to the scene and conducted a K-9 search of the vehicle.  Over 50 grams of Fentynal was found in the backseat of the car. Also found were 26.4 grams of Heroin, Methamphetamine and Cocaine.  The driver was booked on various drug violations.

10/18/21 – A year after protesters demolished the statue of Father Junipero Serra in front of St. Raphael Church, activists called on the District Attorney’s Officer to drop charges against the five defendants.  The case is still proceeding through the court system.

10/24/21 – One of the top five storms in recorded history hit Northern California on this date, dropping seven inches of rain on San Rafael in 24 hours. By noon, the tide was coming in and SRPD dispatch started receiving numerous 911 calls.  Fire and police personnel were busy handling ther calls and rescuing people trapped in flood water.  In all, SRPD dispatch received 230 911 calls and 206 non-emergency calls. Police and Fire responded to 382 incidents for service.

10/29/21 – At 11:15 pm, Cpl. O’Con was patrolling in the Canal District when he heard a male yelling profanities towards the police.  He then heard a bottle breaking near his patrol car. The suspect then fled onto Elaine Way.  Officer Mitz responded to assist and located the suspect on Elaine Way hiding behind a car.  The suspect refused to cooperate with officers and would not remove his hand from his jacket pocket.  The suspect finally complied, and a search of the suspect produced a fixed blade kitchen knife about 6.5 inches long.  The suspect was arrested for possession of a Dirk or Dagger.

10/31/21 – Officer Heinlein and Cpl. Wilkinson responded to the area of Francisco and Grange Way regarding a report of a sea otter in the roadway, who was almost struck by several cars. The Northern Fur Seal, who usually spends their life 600 miles off the coast, was rescued by the officers and volunteers.  The otter was taken to the Care Center in Sausalito.

November:

11/09/21 – At about 3:30 am, a teenager walked into a convenience store in the 900 block of Francisco Blvd. with a gunshot wound to his leg. Officers arrived and confirmed that the 17-year-old juvenile had a gunshot wound to his upper left thigh. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment of his injury. The victim reported that he was contacted by a woman on Medway Road, and he got into her car that had a second female inside. He said that he got into an argument with one of the women and she shot him in the leg. Officers obtained video footage and put out an alert to other law enforcement agencies.  The next day Antioch officers stopped a suspect vehicle and contacted SRPD.  An investigation was done, and officers arrested Alaytreya Gregory, 28, of Sacramento for ADW and aiding a prostitute. Also booked was Satearah Murphy, 31, of Sacramento for robbery and prostitution.

11/18/21 – SRPD officers arrested a woman suspected of causing a major injury motorcycle crash in October. On 10/16/21, a motorcyclist was stuck by a driver of an SUV at Mission and Hetherton. The cyclist suffered major non-life-threatening injuries and the driver of the SUV fled the scene. Police reviewed hours of video footage retrieved from the area and identified the vehicle.  The driver was contacted and arrested.  Booked for hit run, violation of probation and other charges was Coraima Pasos, 28 of Novato.

11/20/21 – Lead Communications Dispatcher Peggy Ruge retired this month. Peggy served with SRPD from 1987 to 2021.  She started as a Records Clerk and then became a dispatcher.  Other duties were serving on the HNT team and the CSI team.  We wish her the best in the next chapter of her life.

11/22/21 – Police blocked off the area of Second and E Street, when officers found two juveniles in a stolen car. Officers found a replica handgun in the car during a search.  Both juveniles were detained.

11/24/21 – A new crime trend started in the Bay Area as the holidays approached.  Mob Robberies began to take place in several counties.  The robberies consisted of large groups of persons running into a store, taking as much product as they could, and then fleeing the area.  The Marin County Police Chief’s Association issued a unified statement denouncing the thefts and promising, “relentless prosecution.”

11/30/21 – SRPD received a call from a citizen who was at the Northgate One shopping center, who reported that they observed a male pour a liquid from a jug into a planter box and a short time later it emitted a haze. Officers arrived and closed off part of the center.  One citizen reported chest pains who was near the planter.  A hazardous materials team was also dispatched.  The suspect was identified through surveillance cameras and later in the day, officers went to the residence of Shahin Farman, 39, of San Rafael and arrested him for vandalism and disposing hazardous waste.  Farman was on probation for pouring acid into the gas tank of a truck belonging to the Marin Food Bank last year.

December:

12/09/21 – Two Marin businesses reported that they were threatened with arson if they did not ease Covid restrictions. The Papermill Creek Saloon in Forest Knolls reported that a man wearing a ski mask entered the business dropped off a note and ran out of the business.  In addition, Body Kenitics in San Rafael, also received a note that said if restrictions were not removed in one week, the business would burn.  SRPD detectives were investigating the matter.

12/10/21 – SRPD started to receive reports from parents of Davidson Middle School, who reported that threats against students and staff were made on social media.  Detectives started an investigation and were able to identify a juvenile who was responsible.  He was contacted and booked at juvenile hall.

12/13/21 – Earlier this year, an approved camping site for homeless was set up under the freeway overpass between Fifth Avenue and Mission Avenue.  With the early arrival of powerful storms, the occupants were asking for running water, greater access to showers and more electricity options. The camp is managed by several public agencies, including the San Rafael Police Dept.

12/23/21 – SRPD reported that their vehicles, as well as fire department vehicles, would soon be equipped with a device to trigger green lights at intersections when responding to emergencies.  The city approved a contract to install the devices in 56 of its emergency vehicles. The system is designed to clear intersections as emergency vehicles travel to calls. The city signed a ten-year contract with Global Traffic Technologies for a cost of $54,885 annually.

12/24/21 – Officers were dispatched to Castro and Bellam Blvd. regarding a traffic collision.  Upon arrival, officers found the driver, Jorge Ajiataz, 30 of San Rafael, intoxicated in the car with his 4-year-old child.  Ajiataz was booked for DUI, driving with a suspended license and child endangerment.  His blood alcohol level was .16. Ajiataz has had DUI convictions in 2012, 2016 and 2019.

12/28/21 – Officers were dispatched to the 700 block of B Street regarding an assault.  Upon their arrival, they found the suspect, the victim and a witness.  Officers did an investigation and arrested Daniel Salas, 59, of San Rafael for attempted rape, false imprisonment, sexual battery and resisting officers.

Homicides:

There were four homicides reported in San Rafael in 2021:

05/03/21 – At 11:50 pm, SRPD received a 911 call about a shooting on Windward Way. Upon arrival, they found Wilmer Velasquez, 23, deceased in a car in the passenger seat. Officers started an investigation and learned that there were originally three people in the car at the time of the shooting. The driver of the car was located and interviewed.  The suspect, who was in the back seat, was identified as Jeffrey Aguirre, 19 years. Officers learned that he lived in Richmond. Officers executed a search warrant at Aguirre’s residence where he was located and arrested for 187 PC.

05/12/21 – SRPD received a report from a landscaping company in Concord, reporting that one of their employees, David Sanchez, 42, of Pittsburg, failed to come home after working a job on North Avenue in San Rafael. The company reported that one of their employees drove to the North Avenue address and located Sanchez’s truck parked at the location. Officers responded and began a search of the area.  After about 40 minutes, officers located the body of Sanchez buried under some bushes. Officers went to Concord and interviewed the three employees who had been working with Sanchez at the site.  After an extensive interview with one of the employees, he confessed to killing Sanchez.  Booked at Marin County Jail for homicide was Miguel Alejandre, 33, of Baypoint Ca.

07/23/21 – At about 10:32 pm, SRPD Dispatch received multiple calls of shots fired in the area of Third and Lootens.  New George’s nightclub had a show going on at the time and many patrons were in the area of the club.  While officers responded to the area, a black Dodge Charger was seen leaving, and an officer tried to stop the car, but was unsuccessful.  The car was relocated at the top of Wolfe Grade and stopped.  Officers found four subjects in the car and two males had gunshot wounds.  In addition, at the Lootens parking garage, a 62-year-old male from San Rafael was found with a gunshot wound. He was a local transit who had been sleeping there. A short time later, a car was involved in a crash in San Anselmo and one occupant of the was found to be deceased and another one with a gunshot wound. Then a 27-year-old male from Fairfield was dropped off at a local hospital and the driver fled.  This male died at the hospital. Shell casings and a high-powered rifle were found at the Lootens parking garage. The persons identified by police were from out of county, except the homeless male. In all, two people were killed and four were shot. Police later issued a statement that this incident was gang related. The case continues to be under investigation. The last double homicide recorded in San Rafael was in 1975, where two such incidents occurred in the same year.

In addition to the four San Rafael homicides, the County of Marin recorded two homicides, one in Marin City and an inmate who was killed at San Quentin State Prison. This came to a total of six homicides reported in Marin for the year 2021.  The last reported homicide in San Rafael prior to 2021 was in 2018.

In Memoriam:

01/12/21 – Lisa Turk passed away after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease complicated by Covid 19. Lisa had a 30-year career in law enforcement as a Deputy Parole Officer. Lisa was a concert level flautist and taught flute lessons for many years. Her husband, David Turk, also had a long career in law enforcement. Lisa Turk was 79 years old.

01/18/21 – The SRPD family was notified that retired SRPD officer Joe Leonard passed away from an illness. Joe served from 1965 to 1984. He worked as a patrol officer, a Field Training Officer and a motor officer.  Many citizens in San Rafael remembered Joe on his motorcycle. Joe always had a smile on his face and was always willing to help other officers and the citizens of San Rafael.

01/26/21 – Retired San Quentin State Prison Associate Warden Richard Nelson passed away in Sacramento from complications of pneumonia. After finishing his schooling, Nelson joined the Army and after an honorable discharge, he embarked on his career with the California Dept. of Corrections, serving for nearly 40 years.  Many in his profession remember Nelson as a hero because of his actions on August 21^st, 1971. Nelson lived on the prison grounds and on that day, he was home when he heard gun shots coming from the prison. Nelson ran to the prison’s adjustment center where he learned that several prisoners got their hands on some guns and they were holding corrections officers hostage in the most dangerous cellblock in the prison. Nelson grabbed a Thompson Sub-Machine gun and entered the block and called for everyone to surrender and to come out with their hands up. When the prisoners refused, Nelson went into the block and let loose with a hail of bullets from his Thompson.  Everyone surrendered a short time later.  Three prisoners and three correctional officers died that day; however, Nelson was credited with saving many lives by putting the hostage situation to an end.  Nelson was the founder of the San Quentin Prison Museum due to his interest in prison history.  The Thompson that Nelson used on that fateful day is now in the possession of the museum.  Richard Nelson was 83 years old.

03/27/21 – Former San Rafael Police Officer Eugene “Gene” Fahy passed away at his home in Sebastopol. Gene started his law enforcement career as a cadet and dispatcher at SRPD and became an officer in 1975. During his time at SRPD he was a training officer, a SWAT Team member, and a motor officer. In 1979 he transferred to the Santa Rosa Police Department where he rode motors there and was a training officer as well as serving on the HNT Team. In 1986 he was tapped to be the Assistant Sheriff in Sonoma County. After leaving the county he worked as an officer for the Rohnert Park Dept. of Public Safety and then as an investigator with the Marin County District Attorney’s Office. It was said that he was never happier than when he was helping others. Gene was 68 years old.

04/23/21 – Contract Reserve Police Officer Jack “Silver Fox” Martin passed away after a long illness. Jack joined the department in 1974 as a reserve officer and in 1991 he was hired as a contract officer walking foot beat in the downtown area. He retired in 2010. Jack had many contacts with the homeless, keeping the peace in the downtown. When he contacted someone on the street, he always pulled out his notebook where he kept information on just about everyone he dealt with. Jack logged many miles each day walking foot beat and when asked how he was able to do that day after day, he replied, “Simple, I have three pair of shoes.”  Jack was 78 years old.

05/21/21 – NYPD Officer Harvey Schlossberg, considered to be the Father of Hostage Negotiations, passed away after an illness in Brooklyn, New York. In 1971, after a botched attempt to save prison guards at Attica State Prison in New York, NYPD brass started looking at their personnel records for officers who might be able to put together a better way to deal with hostage situations. During their search, they found the name of Harvey Schlossberg, a city traffic cop with a doctorate in psychology. He was asked to put a hostage negotiation model together and he was very successful training thousands of police officers. Once a year, Schlossberg came to the Bay Area to do an HNT update class. With the help of then SRPD Chief Robert Krolak, many Marin County officers were able to attend these classes. Schlossberg was 85 years old.

05/29/21 – Retired San Rafael Firefighter Ed Meagor passed away peacefully after several years of declining health. Ed was born in San Rafael and attended local schools. He served with the SRFD for 25 years. After his retirement, he ran the family’s bar on B Street, known as Milani’s, one of the oldest bars in Marin County. He loved riding motorcycles and won many awards racing them in the county. Ed Meagor was 82 years old.

06/11/21 – After a distinguished career with SRPD, K-9 Faro passed away. Starting service in 2013, he was an extraordinary K9 who not only served as a dual-purpose Patrol/ Narcotic Detection K9, but he also served on the SWAT Team.  Faro enjoyed meeting children and was an ambassador for the department. He retired from service in 2018.

06/27/21 – Donna Walker passed away on this date in Oregon. Donna started her career on the airwaves in 1973 as a News Director at KTOB Radio in Petaluma. In 1980 she remained on the airwaves, but as a Dispatcher for the Twin Cities Police Department where she remained for the next 23 years. “Dispatch Donna” was much loved and highly respected by all who worked with her. She was instrumental in training those who came up through the years alongside with her. Donna Walker was 72 years old.

07/04/21 – Retired CHP Officer James F. Baker passed away at his home with his family present. Jim worked for the CHP (Marin and Sonoma) for 33 years before retiring in 2000. He continued his passion for law enforcement by working as a Marin County Sheriff’s Deputy as a bailiff for 10 years. Jim Baker was 77 years old.

07/19/21 – The Honorable Robert A. Smallman passed away in his sleep at his home in Terra Linda. Judge Smallman enlisted in the Marine Corps in WW II and participated in the Battle of Okinawa. After the war, he earned a degree in mechanical engineering and later got his JD in law from the University of Michigan. Smallman moved to San Rafael and worked in law for 18 years. In 1970 he ran for an open judge seat, which he handily won. He served on the bench for many years. One notable incident during his time on the bench was when narcotics detectives contacted Smallman to issue a search warrant in a case they were working.  Smallman issued the warrant and officers served it and made several arrests.  When the case went to court before Judge Smallman, defense attorneys argued that the warrant was issued in error, and they asked that it be nullified.  After listening to both sides, Smallman threw out the very warrant that he had issued. Judge Smallman passed away four days shy of his 98^th birthday.

07/19/21 – Marin County Probation Officer Mel Augustine passed away on this date. He was said to be a very cordial person and one who worked well with his peers.

07/31/21 – Retired San Rafael Fire Capt. Jack Canziani passed away at his home in San Rafael after a long illness.  He was born in San Rafael, graduating from San Rafael High.  Following graduation, he served in the U.S. Army National Guard.  After completing his electrical apprenticeship, Jack joined the San Rafael Fire Department where he served for 33 years, attaining the rank of Capt.  He also owned and operated Canziani Electric. After retiring from the Fire Department, Jack became a peer and cook for the West Coast Post Trauma Retreats. His sister was Jeanette Prandi, a Marin Sheriff’s Sergeant.  The Jeanette Prandi Center is named after her.  Jack Canziani was 79 years old.

10/20/21 – Former SRPD Officer Alan Grieve passed after a long illness.  Alan served from 1977 to 1999.  He started as a reserve officer and after being hired as an officer, he served on the SWAT team and also worked motors. His wife, Irma worked for SRPD as a dispatcher.

10/28/21 – Jack Cooper passed away peacefully at his home in Marin.  Born in 1931, Jack attended Tam High and then joined the Air Force at the age of 16, where he was responsible for guarding nuclear operations. Jack started his law enforcement career by working as a radio dispatcher and then a police officer in Marin County.  After retirement, Jack served on the board for the Marin Abused Women Services. Jack Cooper was 90 years old.

11/28/21 – Retired MCSO Sergeant Ed Levine passed away this month. Sgt. Levine started his career with the Sheriff’s Office in the early 1960’s.  It was said that no one could chew your ass out better than Sgt. Levine and you still walked away liking him. He is survived by his wife Jan.

12/05/21 – Retired San Rafael Fire Capt.  William Walker passed away this month.  Capt. Walker served with the SRFD for 30 years.  He earned a degree in Fire Science and teaching. After retirement, he pursued his love of gardening by working at the West End Nursery.  His daughter, Lynette Starnes, is a Community Service Office with the San Rafael Police Dept. William Walker was 91 years old.

12/13/21 – Word was received that retired SRPD Officer Robert Wade had passed.  Bob served with the San Rafael Police Department from 1964 to 1989.  He worked in warrants/permits and also served in the Detective Division.  He was one of the few officers who carried his revolver cross draw.  He always said that if he was talking to a suspect, he just folded his arms across his waist and his right hand was already on his gun. Bob was always willing to help other officers and always had a big smile on his face. He was very well liked and respected by members of the department.

High Profile Criminals Who Have Departed:

02/28/21 – Roger Kibbe, 81 years, known as the I-5 Strangler in the 1970s and 1980s was found dead in his cell. A correctional officer doing rounds, found Kibbe in his cell in an unresponsive state at Mule Creek State Prison, southeast of Sacramento.  His cellmate was also in the cell at the time Kibbe was found. The case was being treated as a homicide. Kibbe was serving two life terms without the possibility of parole. Kibbe was convicted of strangling 17-year-old Darcine Frackenpohl in 1991. Detectives suspected Kibbe of killing six other females along the I-5 Corridor, but they did not have enough evidence to charge him. In 2009 a detective used new evidence technology to link Kibbe with the six other murders. His trademark was to cut his victim’s clothing into odd patterns.

06/30/21 – “Zebra Murderer” Jesse Lee Cooks, 76, was found dead in his cell at the California Medical Facility. Cooks was sentenced in San Francisco County on March 29, 1976 to a life term with the possibility of parole for first degree murder, kidnapping and first degree robbery.  Cooks and three other men were convicted of targeting White victims between October 1973 and April 1974 that terrorized San Francisco and left 14 people dead. The murder victims included a woman who was beheaded with a machete. The mayor at the time, Joseph Alioto, ordered a citywide dragnet to catch the killers. Only convict Larry C. Green, 69 is living and is in custody at Vacaville. One of the wounded victims was Art Agnos, who later became the Mayor of San Francisco. The attacks were known as the “Zebra Murders” because SFPD investigators communicated their information about the case over their police broadcast band Z.

 

End of Report